


Honey and Sugar

by SisterSigil



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Castiel/Omega Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Slavery, Slave Dean Winchester, Slave Trade, Underage Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:03:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 22
Words: 32,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22812034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SisterSigil/pseuds/SisterSigil
Summary: Castiel lives a pretty quiet life, only having to deal with any antics that Gabriel might get up to. That is until he finds and rescues an escaped omega sex slave. Dean's life has been one tragedy after another. Can he ever trust another Alpha?
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Cesar Cuevas/Jesse Cuevas, Charlie Bradbury/Anna Milton, Garth Fitzgerald IV/Bess Myers
Comments: 59
Kudos: 430





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone. So this I fell hard into the Supernatural fandom a few years ago, and like Misha warned, you eventually find yourself writing ABO fan fiction. Anyway, this is the first work I've ever posted. I broke my wrist about a month ago and passed the time typing this out one handed. I have another that I've been working on for a really long time that I also hope to post soon, but this one just kind of came to me. Really nervous about sharing. Hope you all like it.

Castiel is loading the last 2x4s from the lumber yard into his truck when his phone rings.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Castiel. It’s Donna.”

“What’s up?”

She pauses before asking. “Do you happen to know where Gabriel is?”

He lets out a frustrated sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. “What’s he done now?” 

“According to Kelly Kline, he stole all the cupcakes for Jack’s birthday party that were cooling in the window sill.”

“Of course he did.” Gabe has the worst sweet tooth. “Is he still there?”

“I got him in the back of my squad car.”

“Alright, I’ll be right there.”

“Castiel!” Donna shouts at him before he can hang up.

“What?”

“Stop by the bakery first. The kids are already starting to arrive.”

“Sure,” he says, resigning himself to not getting any other work done today. “How many?”

“Kelly said three dozen should cover it.”

……………………….

Castiel parks on the street. There are already several cars parked in front of Kelly’s house, including Donna’s squad car, but it’s empty. He grabs the boxes from the bakery and follows the sound of screaming children around to the back yard. When he opens the gate, he is almost knocked over by several young boys chasing each other. Thankfully he keeps hold of the boxes. One of the boys stops.

“Sorry, Mr. Novak,” the blond haired boy apologizes.“Happy birthday, Jack,” he replies to the boy.

“This party is the best! Mom got a petting goat, and Sheriff Hanscum let me use the siren in her police car!”

“Did she, now?”

“Come on, Jack!” one of the other boys calls out, and Jack rushes off to join his friends.

Castiel looks around and sees several children surrounding a caramel colored pygmy goat with black markings tied to small tree in the corner of the yard. It lets out a happy bleat and leans into the child scratching him behind his ears. Kelly is at a table loaded with presents talking with Donna and a few of the parents. He walks over, holding the boxes of cupcakes out in front of him as a peace offering. 

“I am so sorry, Kelly.”

“Castiel! Great, you’re here!” she says eyeing him up and down. “Okay kids!” she shouts over the din. “Time to wash up so we can sing Happy Birthday!” The swam of children rushes into the house to clean up, followed by the parents to lend assistance. Kelly takes the boxes from him. 

“Petting goat, really?” he says, arching an eyebrow at her.

“It was Donna’s idea,” Kelly defends. “Besides, the kids loved it. You both staying for cupcakes?”

“I’ve got to head back to the station, but thank you,” Donna explains.

“Well, Castiel, I insist that you stay for dessert.”

“I really don’t want to cause you any more trouble than I already have.”

“Nonsense. Besides, Gabe left a present for you to clean up. Thanks for bringing the cupcakes. See you inside.” She winks at him before heading in to get the kids settled.

Once they are alone Castiel lets out a frustrated moan, and walks over to the goat. “Gabriel, you are in big trouble.” Donna just laughs at him. “What?” he grumbles at his friend.

“Oh, Castiel, it’s not that bad. And if you play your cards right, I think Kelly would let you unwrap her present, if you know what I mean.” She waggles her eyebrows at him.

“Not you too?”

“What? Kelly’s nice.”

“I know, I just don’t… feel it.” Kelly's husband, Nick, ran out on her and Jack a few years ago. Castiel has helped Kelly out a few times with odd jobs around the house in the last few years. At one point he could have seen himself settling down with her, but it felt more like playing house. It didn’t feel real. The fact that she’s a Beta or already has a son from a different Alpha didn’t bother him. It might bother some other Alpha’s, but not Castiel. He adores Jack, he’s a real sweet kid. But he realized a while ago that a relationship with Kelly wasn’t for him.

“Well, I better be going. Enjoy the party, Castiel,” Donna teases, backing towards the gate.

“Don’t leave me, please don’t leave me,” he begs.

“Bye,” she sings at him and she exits though the gate.

Gabriel bleats a belated good-bye after Donna.

“You did this to me on purpose, you assbutt.”

Gabriel just head butts him towards the house.

………………………..

After the evening chores are done, later than usual because it took forever to get out of that party, Castiel sits down with a beer on the couch and puts his feet up on the coffee table, finally resting. He’s got to get up early tomorrow to build the new frames for the hive that he wants to split, but he really just needs to relax. Making small talk with all the parents and fending off Kelly’s subtle advances all afternoon really drained him.

His phone buzzes with a text message.

from Donna: How was the party? Or am I interrupting the after party?  
from Castiel: I hate you  
from Castiel: … and Gabe.  
from Donna: Oh, come on. That was funny.  
from Castiel: Ha ha. Good night, Donna.  
from Donna: Good night, Castiel.

He smiles in spite of himself, and finishes his beer before heading up to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I couldn't resist naming the goat Gabriel!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Description of injuries.

Castiel shivers a little in the morning chill as he heads outside. He lifts the latch and slides open the large barn door. His eyes start to adjust to the dim light inside the four stall barn. Two of the stalls he uses to store extra equipment and tools for his hives. The other two he uses for the goat. 

“Morning, Gabe,” he calls over his shoulder to the occupied stall as he walks to the feed room. The goat bleats back a greeting of its own. He flips up the lid to the storage container and fills a clean bucket with a scoop of sweet smelling grains. He grabs a flake of hay and puts it in an empty feed bag. Back in the main part of the barn, Castiel heads over to the unoccupied stall to set down the bucket and hang up the bag. He unlatches Gabe’s stall as he heads over to the hose, which he drags back to fill up the water bucket. 

“Come on, Gabe. Breakfast is ready,” he calls out as the water starts to fill the bucket. Another bleat answers him. Once the water bucket is full, he drags the hose back and starts to coil it up on the hook. Gabe still hasn’t come out of his stall. 

“What’s wrong, buddy?” Castiel asks as he walks up to the goat’s stall. “Aren’t you hungry?”

Gabe just eyes him from the corner of the stall, chewing his cud, refusing to get up. He apparently piled up all the straw nice and high in the corner and looks quite comfortable leaning against it. 

“Well, you’re not sleeping in this morning. I need to clean your stall before I start to build those new frames for the hive in the lower field. Come on. Up.”

Gabe bleats at him again, refusing to get up. 

“What is it with you this morning?” He gripes as he enters to shoo Gabe into the other stall. As he approaches the stubborn goat he realizes there is something else hiding in the straw, and that has him stopping dead in his tracks. Last year some skunks tried to take up residence in the barn. By the time Castiel had finally chased them off, both he and Gabe had to spend the rest of the day soaking in dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and orange juice. He takes in a deep breath. Thankfully whatever is hiding in the straw is not a skunk, but there is something there, something faint.... He can’t place it.

“Gabriel, up,” Castiel orders in a no nonsense tone. The goat stands and shakes himself off, before stepping away, causing Castiel to gasp. 

It’s a human. A naked human. A naked male human. That’s when he recognizes the scent, Omega. There is a naked male Omega passed out in his barn. What the fuck! Male Omegas are rare. Like, really rare. Where the Hell did he come from? What happened to him? Castiel kneels down next to the huddled form and realizes he’s in bad shape. His body is caked in dried mud and blood. Knees and elbows are scraped and cut. There are shackles, actual shackles, on his ankles, connected with no more than 2 feet of chain. Another set binds his wrists together with a padlock. Ribs that should not be visible are easily counted and bruised. Then he sees the collar. A tight metal band around the neck. The lock is actually welded shut. Welded! Alpha anger flares inside.

Castiel hesitates before reaching out to brush away the straw from his face, and he gasps again. He can’t be older than 18. Beneath the streaks of dirt and blood lies a pale face dusted in freckles. One of the eyes is blackened. The cheek beneath is cut, probably from a ring on the hand that hit him. His full lips are tinged blue, and the lower one is split and bloody.

“Hey, uh, wake up. Omega? Can you hear me?”

No response. 

He tries again, a little louder, gently laying a hand on the boy’s shoulder. The flesh feels icy cold beneath his fingers. Despite the warmth from Gabe, and the insulation of the straw, the boy is freezing. Castiel gives him a little shake. 

Still no response. 

While the spring days have been warm, the temperatures at night have still been cold. Castiel grabs the blanket that hangs over the stall divider and lays it out. He shudders when he picks the boy up like he weighs nothing. After laying him down on the coarse wool, he realizes his sleeves are covered in blood. Inspecting the boy’s back, he cringes at the split and scarred skin. Castiel isn’t sure, but he suspects the boy was caned, on more than one occasion, and recently at that. 

He quickly carries him into the house and gently deposits the boy on the couch in front of the fire place. He is thankful that he always keeps the logs ready to be lit at a moments notice. He strikes a match and lights the kindling. A few gentle breaths and the larger sticks are already starting to catch. 

He turns his attention back to the boy on the couch. He hasn’t moved. Castiel pushes the coffee table aside and slides the couch up to the hearth. He runs to the kitchen and grabs his cellphone from its charger, then a bottle of water from the pantry. Back in the living room, he takes the blanket from the back of the couch and lays that over the boy as well. The fire is starting to blaze. 

He scrolls through his list of contacts, hitting send when he reaches the correct one. He paces impatiently until the phone picks up on the third ring, and he is greeted by a bright and chipper voice. 

“Good morning, Casti-”

“Donna! I found an naked male Omega in my barn!” He blurts out.

“Okay, Castiel. Slow down there.”

“He’s... he’s.... Oh my god, somebody was keeping him in chains.”

“Chains? Castiel, what is going on?”

“I don’t know. He’s in bad shape. Emaciated, beaten, I think he has hypothermia.”

“What’s his name?”

“I don’t know. He’s unconscious.”

“Okay, listen to me. Take a breath and calm down. Get him warm. I’m going to grab the doc and come to you. Can you do that?” 

“Yeah, yeah I.... I already have a fire going.”

“Good. That’s good. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” 

“Thanks, Donna.”

He hangs up and looks down at the huddled form. Beneath the injuries and malnourishment he really is beautiful. How could anyone do this! He should have been protected! He glares at the collar before walking across the hall to his office to grab a few paper clips.

Returning, he lifts the blankets enough to expose the boy's wrists. When he bought this farm from the previous owner, Cain, several of the supply sheds and a couple of trunks were secured with locks to which the keys had long ago gone missing. Needless to say, Castiel got pretty good at picking locks. 

He ignores the padlock, and focuses on the shackles. After unbending a paper clip, he inserts it into the lock, starting to get a feel for the mechanism. As he starts to add a second paper clip, the boy lets out a quiet whimper, startling him. The scent of distressed Omega hits him, like burnt sugar. The scent is still muted though, buried under layers of dirt and blood. He tentatively reaches out and gently runs his fingers through the boy’s hair. “Shhh, shhh. It’s okay now. You’re safe.” He might be imagining it, but the boy seems to lean into his palm before eventually falling quiet again. After a minute, Castiel removes his hand and resumes his work. 

He has to stop several more times to comfort the boy, and each time he quiets after a soothing touch and words of reassurance. Eventually the tumblers turn over and the lock springs free. He opens the shackle to find a mess of scarred and raw skin. These must have been on the boy for a very long time. As his anger flares at the thought, the Omega starts to whimper again. Castiel takes a breath to calm himself so he can soothe the boy again. 

The second shackle is removed in half the amount of time, now that he has a feel for the lock. Just as he removes it, the boy opens his eyes and looks directly at him. They are impossibly green.

For a moment they just stare at each other. Castiel doesn’t dare move, still holding the shackles and the boy’s wrist. The boy takes in a shaky breath and Castiel can see the moment his Alpha scent registers. His eyes dilate with fear. Instantly, panic sets in and he weakly scoots back into the couch. Unfortunately, the blankets hinder his escape, only making the panic worse.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. You’re safe now. I won’t hurt you. You’re safe.” Castiel lets go of the boy’s wrist and backs up, He holds his hands out in front of him like he is trying not to spook a wild animal. 

The boy, unable to retreat any further, is holding his arms up over his head like he is expecting a blow at any moment, eyes shut tight. When it doesn’t come, he opens his eyes to chance a glance back at Castiel. He doesn’t dare make eye contact with the Alpha, but his gaze is captured by the shackles in Castiel’s hand. Only once it registers what that must mean, does he start to lower his arms and look at his wrists, confirming they are in fact free. His rapid breathing starts to calm down.

“I found you in my barn this morning.” The boy flinches when he speaks, but at least he is not triggered into another panic. When there is no response, Castiel continues. “You were freezing. I- I just want to help.” Nothing. “My name is Castiel. Can you tell me your name?”

The boy’s eyes dart up to his before looking away. “Dean, sir.” His voice is quiet and rough.

Castiel smiles at him. “Dean? Okay. Okay. Are you thirsty?”

He pauses before answering just as softly, “yes, sir.”

“Alright. I’m just going to put these down,” Castiel explains as he slowly sets the shackles on the coffee table and picks up the water bottle instead. “It’s unopened. It’s safe. Can I loosen the cap for you?”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Good,” Castiel says as he gives the cap a small twist. “I’m going to take a step closer to put this on the couch next to you. I won’t try to touch you.” He slowly steps forward and reaches out to place the bottle on the couch. Then he backs up until he hits the wall next to the mantle, and slides down to the floor to sit cross legged. In this position, he is now lower than Dean, and won’t be able to stand up quickly. His hope is to make himself seem like less of a threat. 

It must work. After a moment, Dean reaches out to take the bottle with a hand that shakes. Even though it is loosened, he still struggles to get the cap off and raise it to his lips. After the first taste, he lets out a sigh before trying to drain the bottle.

“Slow down,” Castiel warns, startling the boy. A small splash escapes and runs down his chin before he stops. His shoulders are tense and his eyes are dilated again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. Just… take small sips… so you don’t get sick.”

Dean brings the bottle back to his lips, forcing himself to take smaller sips.

“That’s good, thank you, Dean.”

Castiel doesn’t know what does it, the praise, the thanks, or saying his name, but the boy looks him directly in the eye and doesn’t look away. Time seems to stop as he stares into verdant green eyes. The pain and sadness they express breaks his heart.

A knock at the door startles them both. Dean whips his head around, eyes wide, breathing heavily.

“It’s just my friends, Donna and Missouri. They are here to help. They are both women, both Betas. No one is going to hurt you.” Castiel explains. Dean keeps a wary eye on him as he slowly gets up and circles around the room to the door. Once it is opened, he greets his friends with a low voice. “Thanks for coming, just… go slow.”

As Donna crosses the threshold, Dean goes into a full blown panic attack. He throws himself off the couch and scrambles for the farthest corner of the room, leaving a trail of blankets and bloody foot prints on the hardwood as cuts on his soles open up. 

“Dean, it’s okay,” Castiel tries to calm him down.

“Dean, my name is Donna,” she says, moving further into the room and crouching down. “I’m a police officer and I just want to help you.” But the closer she gets the more he panics. He pushes himself further into the corner, trying desperately to disappear through the wall. He is grabbing his hair with both hands, rocking back and forth. A slew of no’s whispered under his breath. Donna backs off, realizing her presence is making it worse, and looks at Castiel.

“He wasn’t this bad before,” he says under his breath to the women. 

“Why don’t you try to calm him down, Honey,” Missouri prompts Castiel as she takes in the state of the Omega.

Castiel takes a breath to force himself to remain as calm as possible, and then speaks in a soft and clear voice. “Dean, I’m going to come over to you. Only me.” He slowly approaches and sits down a few feet away, letting out a sigh of relief when Dean doesn’t get worse. His green eyes are so dilated they look nearly black as they dart around the room, but always coming back to land on Donna. He’s nearly hyperventilating at this point.

“Dean, can you look at me please?” he asks. The boy’s eyes dart to him. “Good, good. Thank you. Okay. I want you to breathe, okay?” His eyes flick back to Donna, and Castiel can see the panic starting to rise again. “Just look at me. Good. We’re going to take a deep breath, okay. In… and out….” 

It takes a few minuets but Castiel eventually gets Dean’s breathing under control. 

“Dean,” Castiel asks, “did… did a police officer hurt you?” Before he loses Dean to another panic attack he quickly adds, “just look at me. It’s okay, you can tell me.”

“Yes, sir.” He whispers it so quietly, Castiel almost misses it. 

“I’m sorry that happened, Dean. But, Donna won’t ever hurt you. We grew up together. She’s a good friend. Okay?” Not wanting to dwell on the matter, he moves on. “Missouri is a doctor. Is it ok if she comes over to look at you?”

Dean eyes the kind looking woman and then nods. “Yes, sir.”

Missouri slowly walks over with her bag and kneels in front of the boy. “Hi, Sugar. It’s gonna be alright. I’m here to help you,” she soothes, and Dean relaxes a little. Missouri has that effect on everyone. “I’m just gonna take a peek at you, no touching, okay.” She leans closer, and after giving him a once over she declares, “Sugar, I think you got the whole forest stuck in those wounds.” Castiel can easily see dirt, grass, small pebbles, even a few bits of straw from the stable stuck to the wounds. “Nothing a good bath won’t help, and then I can patch you up. Will you let me help you?”

Dean looks back and forth between the two of them, before nodding.

Castiel realizes they are going to have a problem. “Dean, the tub is upstairs. I don’t want you to hurt yourself trying to get up there. Can I carry you up in the blanket?”

They stare at each other for a moment, and then Dean replies with a quiet, “Yes, sir.”

Castiel slowly reaches out and grabs one of the blankets that was strewn across the floor, and wraps it around the boy’s thin frame. He frowns again at how light the boy feels in his arms, as he easily carries him upstairs to the master bath. The boy lays his head against Castiel’s chest. He must be exhausted. 

Donna stays downstairs while Missouri follows after them. She starts the water in the tub at only a lukewarm temperature so as not to shock the boy’s system. 

Dean pulls the blanket more tightly around himself after being set down on the edge of the tub. Castiel glares at the shackles still present on his ankles. “I’ll just take these off while the tub fills, okay?” He pulls the paper clips out of his back pocket where he stashed them earlier and sets to work. The tub is almost full by the time both legs have been freed. “I’ll get rid of these. Will you be okay with Missouri?”

Dean looks at the woman and nods. “Yes, sir.”

“Thank you. And Dean, you don’t have to call me sir.”

“Just leave the door open, Castiel, that way you can hear us if we need anything.” Missouri calls over her shoulder as he backs out of the bathroom.

Downstairs, he drops the shackles next to the first set on the coffee table and just stares at them. 

Donna comes up behind him and lays a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Is he okay?”

“Missouri has him in the bath.”

“Are you okay?”

He turns to look as his friend. “No,” his voice quivers and the next thing he knows, Donna is pulling him into a hug as he breaks down and cries. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he sobs, wiping tears that just won’t stop from his eyes.

She rubs her hand in soothing circles on his back. “It’s okay, Castiel, it’s okay. Most people never see the dark side of humanity, or chose not to, so they never have to deal with it. It’s over whelming when the curtain is finally pulled back. But you did real good. You helped save that boy upstairs.”

He chokes back another sob and takes in a shuddering breath. “How could anyone do that to another human being? How could a .…” He leaves the words unsaid, and pulls back, searching her face. 

“I don’t know, but when I find the monster that’s hiding behind a badge, I’m going to kill him.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We start to learn about some of the abuse Dean has faced.  
> TW: mention of miscarriage.

The woman is gentle, as she uses a wash cloth on his back, humming softly. It’s the third time they have had to fill the tub. The first two times the water was so dirty Dean couldn’t see himself through it. Each time the woman, Missouri, made the water a little warmer, and it feels like heaven now. She saw him eyeing the bubble bath on the side of the tub and added it in this time, saying it would be ‘their little secret.' Dean still can’t see himself, but at least this time it is due to the suds. He slowly pushes the bubbles around with his hands. He can’t remember the last time he had a bubble bath, it must have been before his mom died. 

Thankfully, Missouri pauses her humming, breaking his train of thought. “Sugar, you are doin’ so well, but I have to ask you a few questions. And this just stays between you and me. I won’t share anything unless you tell me to. And if you don’t want to speak, that’s okay. You can just nod or shake your head.”

Dean can feel the sting of the wash cloth as she cleans the wounds along his back.

“You have any people we can call for you?”

He shakes his head.

“Is anything currently broken?”

He pauses. The way she asked the question. She’s smart enough to know he’s had broken bones in the past. Hell, she can probably feel some of his ribs that healed badly. He shakes his head no.

“I don’t think any of these on your back need stitches, but I’ll put some bandages on after the bath. I don’t see a mating mark. Did he claim you?”

Dean shakes his head. Claimed Omegas are more submissive. Master wanted a little fight in him. He also didn’t want a traceable connection linking him to Dean’s body. He was reminded of that fact almost every day. Make it good or his body would be dumped in a ditch.

“Did he rape you?”

Every day he thinks to himself, but only nods his head. He tries to focus on the bubbles.

“Did he ever put a pup in you?”

Dean’s hands pause, he can’t see the bubbles as tears sting his eyes and blur his vision. Eventually he nods.

“Did you give birth?”

A tear slips free. He shakes his head no. The beating he received for becoming pregnant was severe. It caused him to miscarry. He still has nightmares where his hands are covered in blood and he can’t stop the bleeding. He takes in a trembling breath as more tears fall down his cheeks.

A warm hand lifts his chin and knowing brown eyes look at him. “I’m so sorry, Sugar. Ain’t none of that your fault. And there is nothing you could have ever done to deserve it.” She wipes a few of his tears away with the wash cloth, and starts to gently clean the cut on his cheek.

“Have you had a heat since then?”

He shakes his head. 

“Let me guess, he cut your food?”

Dean nods. That’s when his meager scraps became just a crust of bread. Underweight omegas can’t support going into heat, let alone carry a pregnancy.

………………………….

Eventually they finish the bath, and drain the last of the water away. Missouri helps him to sit on the edge of the tub, and grabs a clean fluffy towel to pat him dry, careful of his wounds. He takes a deep breath. There is that scent again. Apples and fresh rain. It’s the Alpha’s smell. Castiel? Weird name. But there is something sweet underneath it, like honey. Except for his father, Dean has never smelled an Alpha whose scent he found soothing. He doesn’t want to think about his father. Thinking like that never ends well. He takes another large breath in through his nose and tries to just focus on the scent. Missouri must see him nuzzling into the towel, and gives a little chuckle. 

There is a small knock on the bedroom door frame. Castiel clears his throat loudly before entering the room and approaching the bathroom.

“I made you some… food.” He just stands there with a plate and glass in his hands, head tilted to the side, staring at Dean. Dean can’t look away. Those are the bluest eyes he’s ever seen.

Missouri glances back and forth between the two of them and eventually breaks the silence. “That was very thoughtful of you, Castiel.”

“Thank you, sir- Cas….” he trails off, remembering this Alpha wanted to be called by his name.

“Oh… um,” the Alpha stammers, blushing a little. He looks around for a place to set down the dishes. “It’s not much. Just something light… until you are ready for more.” He eventually decides to just leave them on the bathroom counter. “I’ll just… uh, grab some clothes for you. I’ll leave them on the bed.”

Dean’s eyes track the Alpha as he stumbles back out into the bedroom and rummages through the dresser. He leaves some sweatpants and a t-shirt on the bed, before announcing that he is heading back downstairs. Once he’s gone Dean grabs a piece of toast. Not a stale crust. A whole thick piece from home made bread… with butter! … and drizzled with honey! The flavors explode in his mouth and he can’t hold back a moan. The first piece disappears quickly and he grabs a second.

Missouri opens her bag and pulls out a bottle of store brand vitamins. “I ain’t gonna force you to take these, but they’ll help until we get some meat on your bones. She unscrews the lid and makes a show of removing the safety seal, before shaking one pill into the palm of her hand to hold out to Dean. He’s been drugged plenty of times in the past, and he appreciates her trying to put his nerves at ease. He reaches out to grab the pill and washes it down with the glass of orange juice. 

Next, she gets out gauze pads, disinfectant, ointment, and bandages and starts in on the worst of his wounds. Despite the sting of the disinfectant, his eyes start to drift closed now that he is clean, warm and has a decent meal in his stomach. Huh? When did toast become a decent meal. 

“Come, Sugar,” she says gently, guiding his arms through the sleeves of the soft and worn t-shirt, and then his legs into the sweat pants that are way to big for his thin body, “let’s get you into bed.” 

Missouri helps him the few feet from the bathroom to the bed, but Dean hesitates. This is the Alpha’s bed. 

“The guest room is too far down the hall for me to carry you, and Castiel won’t mind you taking a nap here.” She winks at him. “Come on, rest now, Sugar.” She lifts the covers and tucks him into the warm blankets. 

He is enveloped in that wonderful scent again, like an orchard in the fall. And despite any fear he has about being in an Alpha’s bed, he feels his body relaxing. 

“Now, you and I both know Omega Protection Laws are a load of crap. Lord knows, many Omegas would be safer on their own rather than forced to live with an Alpha.” 

Dean just rolls his eyes at her, oh, really?

“Case in point. I wish I could take you home with me, but my Alpha passed away long ago. Besides, you ain’t never gonna to meet a more kind or trust worthy Alpha than Castiel. He’s gonna take good care of you, and I’ll be back to check on you tomorrow. When you’re up to making the trip into town, I want you to come by my office so I can give you a full exam.” 

Dean sighs and nods reluctantly.

“And I know that uniform scares you, but Donna is as honest and wholesome as they come. She’s one of the good ones. Okay?”

He gives her a weak smile and she tucks him in. He’s asleep in instantly.

………………………..

What the Hell! Castiel thinks to himself. When he brought the food up to Dean, he finally caught his scent, now that the boy was cleaned up. And what a wonderful scent! Sweet vanilla and cinnamon. It was the most amazing scent he has ever smelled on an Omega. And, oh God! His brain just stopped and he stared. Stared into those amazingly green eyes, he couldn’t look away. The boy must think he’s just another Alpha knot-head, especially after everything he’s probably been through! Cas… he called him Cas, not Castiel. 

A mug of tea is placed in front of him breaking him out of his thoughts. He looks up to see Missouri smiling down at him. She joins him at the kitchen table with her own mug. 

“Honey, I can hear your brain chasing its tail. It’s really quite simple. That boy needs you and you are going to take care of him.”

“Missouri, what? Are you suggesting…? I can’t… I can’t keep him!”

“You can and you will. There is evil in this world, and that boy has suffered at its hands. But he has you now to help show him that there is still good out there. Besides, he doesn’t have anyone else. So either he stays here with you, or he gets sent to a state run Omega shelter.” She stares at him with a determined gaze.

Castiel knows she’s right. Omegas only make up 15% of the population, with the rest split evenly between Alphas and Betas. And while there are both that support the Omega Rights Movement, Omegas still can’t vote without expressed permission of their Alpha. And since all Omegas are forced to live under the care of an Alpha…. They just don’t have the numbers to elicit change.

Once they present at 13, Omegas are not allowed to live without an Alpha. If they don’t have an Alpha family member, and if their family cannot facilitate an arranged marriage before their second heat, they are sent to a shelter, supposedly for their own protection until an Alpha adopts them. Most adoptions are facilitated by a case worker who sets up onsite meet and greets before anything is finalized with both parties’ approval. But… several shelters have been shut down for being run more like brothels, where cash is exchanged with guards and case workers for more ‘explicit' meet and greets. Many Omegas are willing to settle for the first interested Alpha willing to take them, in order to escape life in a shelter. 

Castiel wonders if that’s what happened to Dean. 

Donna comes back in at that moment. She was checking out the barn and the rest of the property for clues. “How’s Dean?” she asks, full of concern.

“Sleeping,” Missouri answers.

“Well, he entered the barn through one of the stall windows. I found blood on an upside down water bucket outside of it. I also found a small trail that leads out into the western field.”

“There’s nothing west of here for miles,” Castiel reasons. His property lies against a Nature Preserve making it ideal for his apiary. “Where did he come from?”

“He’ll tell you when he’s ready, Honey,” Missouri speaks with confidence.

“Me!”

“She’s right, Castiel.” Donna agrees.

Castiel just stares at the two women teaming up against him.

“That boy never said a word to me, but he answered you every time you asked a question,” Missouri points out.

“He… he probably felt he didn’t have a choice with me being an Alpha. I must scare him.”“You do not,” she fires back. “Besides, you couldn’t scare a rabbit even if you tried. If anything, that boy trusts you.”

“I won’t send him to a state shelter, Castiel,” Donna declares. “That boy has been through enough. And if he stay’s here with you, I can keep an eye on him while I make inquiries. I have a solid contact in the FBI, who can help. And you have us. You’re not doing this alone.”

Castiel sighs. He’s never going to argue his way out of this, and besides, he knows it’s what’s best for Dean. “Alright,” he reluctantly agrees. 

“Good. I’ll get Chuck to issue you temporary custody. In the meantime, try to find out what you can about him.” Donna gathers up the shackles into an evidence bag and soon she and Missouri are on their way out with promises to return tomorrow.

Castiel sags against the door after closing it behind them. “Fuck!”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean has a nightmare  
> TW: graphic violence and death.

Dean wakes up and blinks his eyes. Harsh fluorescent lighting from a truck stop shines through the back window of the Impala, but otherwise it is still dark outside. He is curled up in the back seat with Sam who is still sound asleep. He wishes he could just go back to sleep, but his bladder forces him to step out of the car and into the chilly night air.

“Hey, son,” his dad calls quietly while unscrewing the gas cap. 

Dean stretches involuntarily while a large yawn takes over. “Hey, dad,” he responds as soon as he regains control of his voice. “What time is it?”

“Little after 2am.”

“You planning on driving through the whole night?”

His father nods his head. “You can take over once the sun comes up, and we should get there by noon. Plenty of time to settle in before the job starts tomorrow and to get you two registered at the school.” 

“Okay.” Ever since Dean got his learners permit, he can’t get enough of driving the Impala. The purr of the engine. Her classic lines. Baby is the best car ever built in his opinion. Thankfully, his dad lets him share a large portion of the driving when they move from one town to the next as he chases work.

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

“Alright, be careful.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean sighs. 

John has been protective of his boys ever since the fire that claimed their mother when Dean was only 4. But when Dean presented as an Omega two years ago, his over protectiveness skyrocketed. Male Omegas are rare, like really rare, so it kind of took everyone by surprise. Thankfully dad is an Alpha, so Dean could stay with his family, at least what’s left of it. Besides, he would never abandon Sammy. Dad has done his best by them, and Dean would never blame him for anything that they have had to deal with since their picture perfect life went up in flames, but Dean raised that boy and loves him fiercely. You’d have to pull him away kicking and screaming. Guess those Omega instincts had been there all along.

He pulls open the bathroom door and thankfully it’s empty. He heads to a stall. He only needs to piss, but he knows better than to leave himself vulnerable. Nothing says invitation to a knot-head Alpha like an Omega with their pants undone. 

He hears the door squeak open just as he flushes and two men enter. Then their scents hit him. Alphas, shit! Dean hesitates while he thinks of what to do. Does he stay in the stall until they leave? How long can they take if they are just using the urinals? They already heard him flush, so it would be weird if he doesn’t leave soon. It probably already seems weird. What if they don’t leave? If he can smell them, they can probably smell him, especially now that he is nervous and a little scared. He just wants to get out of there. 

He steels himself and leaves the stall. One of the men is washing his hands at the sink, and Dean decides he really doesn’t need to wash his hands. He turns and heads straight for the door, but the other man is standing in front of it, blocking his way out. 

“You forgetting something?” The man’s voice has an edge of intensity to it that Dean doesn’t like. The man just stands there staring at him, still blocking the door.

“Don’t make the kid nervous, Gordon,” the man at the sink says in a tired voice.

“I just don’t want the boy to get sick because he forgot to wash his hands.” Gordon calls back to the man at the sink, still not taking his eyes off of Dean. The man smiles, or tries to. It’s forced and… predatory.

Dean swallows thickly and heads over to the unoccupied sink. His eyes dart nervously back and forth, trying to keep both men in sight. Gordon is still blocking the door on his right, and sink man is next to him on the left. He starts the water and washes his hands as quickly as possible.

Sink man finishes up and reaches for a paper towel from the dispenser on the wall between them to dry his hands. “Sorry about my friend, kid.”

Dean just nods and shuts off the water. He reaches for his own paper towel, when sink man grabs him by the wrist, pulling his arm behind him, and slams his head into the counter. His temple catches the edge of the porcelain and pain explodes in his head. He is dazed and his ears are ringing, and by the time he gets his bearings, a zip tie is securing both his wrists together behind his back. A strong hand holds him down against the counter, while another releases his belt and unbuttons his jeans. He feels like he’s going to throw up, and he doesn’t know if it’s from the concussion he is sure he has or the hand reaching down the back of his boxers. 

Next thing he knows, a finger is roughly shoved up his ass. Dean screams as it pushes deeper. 

“Kubrick, quit messing around, does he have the goods or not?”

Sink man, Kubrick, pulls his finger roughly out of Dean. “Oh yeah. That’s a virgin ass.”

Dean finally finds his voice. “Stop. Please let me go.”

Kubrick yanks him upright, and the rooms spins.“Virgin male Omega like you? We ain’t letting you go. You’re worth a small fortune.”

“Dean? What’s taking so long?” his father calls from outside.

“Dad!” Dean screams before a hand clamps over his mouth and a knife is pushed against his throat. 

“Dean!”

Gordon steps aside, back against the wall, as John comes flying through the door. The sight of his disheveled son, pants undone, blood streaming from a gash on his forehead, restrained, knife to his throat, distracts him just long enough that Gordon gets the drop on him. A large knife is shoved without preamble into his father’s gut and then pulled up to his sternum before it is yanked free.

John falls to his knees, hands clutching his stomach as blood pours from him, but his eyes are locked on Dean. A million things pass through his eyes. Shock, pain, anger, realization, guilt. Dean can read each and every one of these in the silent seconds that pass like eons. Then he sees the light leave his father’s eyes as they dull forever. Everything comes rushing back in a roar. 

“Dad!” Dean screams. He keeps screaming and tries to pull away, but the arm around his torso is too tight.

“Kubrick, shut him the fuck up!” Gordon orders, wiping the blade clean on back of John’s jacket, before shoving the body out of the way.

A dirty bandana is shoved in his mouth, muffling his cries.

The bathroom door opens again and Sammy’s small frame blocks the exit. “Dean? Dad!”

“We don’t have time for this!” Gordon turns and plunges the knife into Sammy’s chest and pushes him off to land in a heap on top of John. 

Sammy! Dean feels something inside of him break. He kicks out and rears back and thrashes as much as he can. The back of his head must connect with Kubrick’s nose at some point as he loses his grip and Dean throws himself down on his knees in front of Sam, landing in a puddle of his father’s blood. With his hands tied behind his back he can’t reach out to put pressure on the wound. He’s screaming Sammy’s name through the gag, but his little brother only coughs up a mouthful of blood. 

Then both men grab him by the shoulders, and drag him away from the bodies of his father and brother. From his whole world. He kicks and screams as they throw him into the back of a waiting van parked just outside. Gordon gets behind the wheel and orders Kubrick to shut him up for good, as he pulls out of the truck stop. Dean slams his shoulder into the back doors, trying to get back to Sammy, but the latch holds. Next thing he knows, Kubrick is spinning him around again, shoving him down onto the floor. He sits on top of him and slams his head down holding it still. A needles stings his neck. 

He can’t breathe. The gag is blocking his mouth, his nose is full of snot from crying, and there is a grown man sitting on his chest. He can’t breathe. He can’t breathe. His vision starts to disappear at the edges. He can’t breathe. He’s going to die. Maybe then he can at least be with his family. He can’t breathe. He. Can’t.

Dean wakes up screaming.

“Meeeeeeeeeh!” screams the goat sitting on his chest.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh!” Dean screams again, scrambling back against the head board. What the fuck! What the actual fuck!

Footsteps come pounding up the stairs and the Alpha bursts into the room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cas and Dean finally get to have a real conversation.  
> Some palate cleansing fluff.

Castiel is downstairs cooking dinner when he hears Dean scream. 

He stayed in today, abandoning any plans to work out in the barn, so he could keep an eye on Dean. Instead, he filled the online orders for his store (Sweet Angel Apiary), answered emails, paid bills, cleaned the house. He had been up to the bedroom every hour throughout the day to check on the boy, but he had stayed sound asleep until now.

He races up the stairs and barrels through the door into the bedroom. Dean is pressed back against the head board, unsuccessfully trying to fend off Gabriel who is smothering him with kisses. 

“Gabriel!” Cas scolds. Gabe stops his affectionate assault on Dean, turns to bleat defiantly at Cas, then returns to giving the boy kisses. Cas moves in to pull Gabe back, but the goat is still trying to get to him. “I’m so sorry, Dean. He must really like you.” It was the truth. Gabriel was more likely to trip you than kiss you. “I think he was worried about you. He kept you warm last night in the barn.”

“Thank you,” Dean says quietly to the goat. He reaches out with his palm and Gabe nuzzles into it. 

“Are you hungry? I just finished making dinner.”

On cue, the boy’s stomach growls.

“Well, that settles that. Do you think you can make it down the stairs? I can always bring the food up here.”

“Downstairs is fine,” comes the meek reply. Cas doesn’t miss the fact that Dean keeps his eyes down.

“Why don’t you freshen up while I bring this one back to the barn. Do you think you can manage on your own?”

“I’ll be okay.” His gaze is still lowered.

“Dean?” He pauses and waits until the boy’s curiosity finally causes him to look up. Cas is shocked again at how green his eyes are. He gives the boy a warm smile. “You can look at me, if you want to, you don’t have to be afraid.” 

“Okay.” 

He gets a half smile in return and it warms his heart. Just then Gabriel lets out another bleat. “Alright, alright. Let’s get you back in the barn.” Cas scoops up the goat and deposits him on the floor to shoo him down the stairs. 

………………………….

After the troublesome goat is tucked in with his feed, Cas returns to the house just in time to see Dean slowly make his way down the stairs. He looks sore and stiff, and Cas’ clothes hang on a frame that is too thin. With no lock to pick, the welded collar is still around his neck. He spies the bandages around his wrists and ankles and realizes Dean is still barefoot. 

“Hold on a second.” Cas kicks off his boots and tucks them next to the entryway bench. He pulls out a bin where he keeps extra hats, gloves, and thick wool socks. He grabs a pair of socks and a flannel from the rack. “Here, these will help keep you warm.”

“Thank you,” Dean answers, taking the items. He tentatively makes eye contact.

“I hope you like burgers.” That gets the boy’s full attention.

“Burgers?” Dean actually sounds excited.

“Yeah,” he leads the way into the kitchen where the table is already set with glasses of orange juice, a plate of sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and pickles, and bottles of ketchup, barbecue sauce, mayo and mustard. He pulls the buns out of the toaster where they were being kept warm. With a mitt he retrieves the covered plate of burgers from the oven. “I didn’t know if you wanted cheese or not.” He removes the cover to reveal a half dozen burgers, three with cheese, three without.

“You made cheese burgers.” The boy’s tone is incredulous.

“Well, don’t wait for me, dig in.”

The speed with which Dean assembles his burger rivals that of Shaggy and Scooby. He takes an enormous bite and a look of bliss softens his face as he chews. Cas smiles, watching Dean, as the scent of happy Omega washes over him, warm vanilla and cinnamon.

“So, you like it?”

“Oh my God,” he say around a mouthful, “this is delicious!”

Dean’s praise warms Cas to his core. His inner Alpha happy at being able to provide for the Omega. They eat on in silence, enjoying the food.

“Cas?” he asks tentatively, like speaking without being spoken too first would get him in trouble.

“It’s okay, Dean, you can ask me anything.”

“How… how did the goat get upstairs?”

Cas laughs and shakes his head, he wasn’t expecting that question. “Gabirel is known to cause trouble. No matter what I do, he always gets out and gets into mischief.”

As if on cue, Gabirel’s head pops up in the kitchen window over the sink and startles them both as he bleats a hello. It starts with a giggle and then the two of them are full on laughing to the point where both are wiping tears from their eyes. The sound of Dean’s laughter is music to his ears, and his smile lights up the room.

Dean lets out a sigh, finally catching his breath. “I haven’t laughed in ages.” But then his smile falls and his wonderfully sweet scent starts to sour.

“What’s wrong?” Cas is immediately on alert.

“I… Cas?” He swallows thickly, eyes darting back and forth, trying to search for something that isn’t there. “What day is it?”

“It’s Monday,” Cas answers softly. Glistening green eyes finally look up and lock on this own, pleading. Cas realizes his answer is not enough. He continues slowly. “April 27th.” Still not enough, he needs more, more than months to measure his time in captivity. “2020.”

A single tear spills over and down his cheek. Dean’s eyes glaze over and Cas isn’t sure if he is even still breathing.

“Dean?” No response, but his sweet scent changes to burnt sugar, fear and panic. “Dean?” Cas doesn’t want to frighten the boy by touching him, but he can’t figure out a way to comfort him and break him out of this.… this catatonic state. Cas kneels next to Dean’s chair to make himself seem less threatening and takes both of his hands between his own. There is no acknowledgement. “Dean, I need you to breath for me.” His eyes are empty. 

Running on pure instinct, Cas pulls Dean’s limp body down into his lap and holds him tight. He tries to put off a soothing scent while he cradles Dean’s head into his neck and slowly rocks him back and forth. “I’ve got you, Dean. You’re safe. Please come back to me.” The minutes tick by and Cas is debating on getting up to so he can call Missouri, when suddenly Dean chokes out a sob. It’s followed by another and another. Each one wrenches his heart. Dean’s fingers find their way to Cas’ shirt and clutch at the fabric desperately. Cas rubs his hand in circles over the boy’s back careful to avoid his bandages, shushing him. “It’s gonna be okay. You’re safe now.” They stay like that for a while, until Dean has cried himself out, and his shuddering breaths have finally returned to normal. When Cas catches Dean scenting his neck, he decides to break the silence. 

“How long?” Cas asks, not letting up on his hold. He doesn’t think Dean is going to answer, but then he hears the soft reply.

“Three years.”

“I’m so sorry, Dean.”

“I ruined dinner, I’m sorry, I….”

“Shhhh, Dean. That doesn’t matter.” He hugs the boy tighter. “That’s what leftovers are for.”

Dean actually lets out a little laugh at that. “Did you really put mustard on your burger?”

Cas realizes Dean is changing the subject, but if that’s what the boy wants, he is willing acquiesce. “What’s wrong with mustard on a burger?”

Dean pulls back and looks at Cas, green eyes rimmed in red, he wipes his nose on the sleeve of the flannel. “Really? If you had also used ketchup maybe I would have let it slide, but you put only mustard on it.”

“I like mustard,” he playfully defends himself. He is still holding Dean in his lap and starts to feel a little awkward. “Do you want to keep eating?”

Deans eyes drift down to his hands that are still clutching Cas’ shirt. He takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh before placing his head back down on Cas’ shoulder so he can scent him again. He feels the boy’s body relax. “No. I don’t think I can eat more right now.”

“That’s okay. I think I made too much anyway. Do you want head back up to bed?” 

Dean replies with the tiniest of head nods and a muffled affirmation into Cas’ neck. Using his Alpha strength he stands up from the ground still holding Dean. Dean starts to protest but Cas just shushes him. “Just rest, Dean.” The boy clings to him like a sleepy toddler as he carries him up to the bedroom. Cas lays him down and tucks him under the covers. 

Dean’s hand darts out to grab his before he can move away, but he doesn’t say anything.

“Do you want me to stay?” Cas offers.

“Until I fall asleep?”

“Sure.” Cas sits on top of the covers, leaning back against the headboard, and hesitates before carding his fingers through Dean’s light brown hair. “Is this okay?”

The boy nods and relaxes further under the touch. Soon he is fast asleep. 

Cas continues to sit there, watching Dean sleep. Small puffs of breath passing though soft full lips on a face that is smattered with freckles. He really is beautiful. Dammit! He shouldn’t be thinking thoughts like that. Not after everything Dean has probably been through for apparently years. Knowing Dean has suffered tears at his inner Alpha. Dean should’ve been protected. He needs to be protected. He needs to heal. Cas decides right then and there that he will do what he can to help… including denying his own feelings for the boy that are starting to stir. He crossed a line when he held Dean to his neck, but it felt like the right thing to do, and it worked. Not only did Dean openly scent him, it calmed him down. 

Cas lets out a frustrated sigh. When he woke up this morning, his life was routine, simple. Now it is anything but. He forces himself up to put the leftovers away, and inwardly groans when he remembers he has to put Gabe back in his stall, again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot more from Dean's point of view

Dean wakes gradually, awareness slowly creeping in. He’s in a soft bed. The blankets are cozy and warm. He snuggles deeper into them and sighs. Everything smells fresh, like it does after it rains, but there is a sweetness there. Apples, and… and honey. It smells good. It smells like… Alpha! 

His eyes dart open as the memories of the last few days come crashing in. With the early morning light peeking in through the window, he can see Cas is sitting in the chair next to the bed, fast asleep. Dean is safe. He got out. He escaped.

He takes the time to really look at the Alpha. The intense blue eyes that have drawn him in whenever he looked at Cas are hidden from view right now, and he was too afraid before to really take in the rest of his features. His face is relaxed in his sleep, peaceful. His lips are full and slightly chapped. A days worth of stubble has grown in. His black hair spikes up in unruly locks. He looks rumpled and… and cute. 

No! Stop right there Winchester. You just escaped from being a sex slave of apparently three years. You just need to heal up and disappear.

How? Where? Society is so fucked up. The shelters are a joke, he knows that first hand. He can’t get a drivers license, or a job, or sign a lease, or even get a motel room without permission from an Alpha. All because people think Omegas are incapable of anything except for fucking and breeding.

Cas shifts his position on the chair, and Dean freezes as if his loud thoughts woke the Alpha. Once Cas’ breathing evens out again, he lets out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding.

He considers the Alpha again. So far he has been nothing but kind. He had even asked permission before touching him. It had been years since anyone had given Dean agency over his own body. Can he really trust him? Not all Alphas are bad. His dad was a good Alpha, but he was family. Can he really trust an Alpha whose not family? 

His mom trusted his dad before they became a family, but they were in love. Even though he was only 4 when his mom died in the fire, he knows that Mary and John Winchester were true mates. A pairing that is extremely rare between Alphas and Omegas. It’s why her death took such a toll on their father. 

A single tear falls down his cheek. He hasn’t cried for his mom in a very long time, but right now, he wishes she were here to help him.

“Dean, are you okay?” Cas’ voice is rough with having just woken up. 

“I just miss my mom,” he says, wiping away the tear that is quickly replaced by another. Shit. Why did he say that? Why is he crying like a little kid? Why does Cas’ smell so safe, like… like home. Cas’ scent feels like their home, before the fire, when they were a happy family.

Cas leans forward in the chair to rest his arms on the edge of the bed. He tilts his head and lays it down on top of them so he can look at Dean. His blue eyes bright despite the dull light of the early morning.

“Do you want to talk about her?”

Dean is silent while he ponders whether he wants to or not. It’s been so long since he’s allowed himself to think about anything good that ever happened in his life. Those memories only made him feel worse when the reality of his existence came crashing back in. They reminded him of how much he had lost, how far he had fallen. It was easier to not remember. But right now he feels safe, warm, no one is hurting him. Maybe right now it will be okay to remember.

“She was beautiful,” he starts. “She used to hum while she baked pie. And she would make me tomato soup with rice when I was sick. She used to say angels were watch over me while I slept.”

“Hmm, I was named after an angel,” the deep voice of the Alpha makes him feel safe, protected.

“Is that why you name is so weird?”

Cas chuckles. “Yes. Castiel is the Angel of Thursday.”

“Maybe I was born on a Thursday.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You were watching over me while I slept.” Dean doesn’t know why he said it. It’s like the filter in his brain has been turned off. But Cas makes him feel like he can tell him anything. 

Cas clears his throat. “It sounds like she loved you very much.”

“She died when I was four. House fire. Dad thrust Sammy into my arms and told me to take him outside. He went back in for mom but he couldn’t save her.”

“I’m sorry.”

“He did his best after that, to raise me and Sammy, but he was never the same.”

“What happened to them?”

“They were killed when I was taken,” he whispers.

“Do you want to talk about that?”

Dean shakes his head and wipes another tear away.

“That’s alright,” Cas says. “Thank you for sharing your memories of your mom with me.”

Dean slides his hand over the bed spread towards Cas’s own, but not quite touching. He does it without even thinking. He just doesn’t want to feel so alone. Cas reaches out to place his hand on top. The Alpha gives him a squeeze that helps to ground him, and Dean lets out a sigh. He realizes he’s probably touch starved after years of abuse. Maybe that’s why he craves any positive interactions. Maybe it has nothing to do with Cas specifically, but Cas seems genuine in his care and concern. Maybe he can trust this Alpha.

The sun finally peeks over the horizon, throwing the room into a warm glow as the light filters in through the curtains.

“Come on,” Cas says in a brighter voice, patting his hand. “Lets eat breakfast, and if you want, you can feed Gabriel afterwards.”

…………………………

Breakfast was bacon and eggs. Bacon. Bacon! Dean teared up when he ate the first piece. He didn’t realize he could miss a food that much. Cas said he doesn’t always have such heavy foods in the morning, but he was making an exception until Dean gains some weight back. They also had a side of buttered toast with that wonderful honey again. It makes him think of Cas’ scent.

Cas found him an extra pair of muck boots, they are a little loose, but they’ll do, which is how Dean finds himself traipsing over to the barn behind Cas. 

“Morning, Gabe,” the Alpha calls out as they enter. Gabe runs up to them and sticks his head out between the slats. Dean scratches around his ears and horns. The little guy really seems to like it. 

Cas starts fiddling with a hose while giving Dean instructions on where to find the feed. He places a scoop of sweet smelling grain in the bucket and brings it over to the clean stall. Once Cas lets Gabriel out of the other stall, the goat runs over to start eating.

“If you want to give him a special treat, there’s a bag of carrots and a container of sunflower seeds in the cabinet back in the feed room.” Cas suggests while mucking out the dirty stall.

Dean finds the goat goodies and returns with a carrot in one hand and a fist full of seeds in the other. Once Gabe spots the bright orange of the carrot, he rushes over demanding the sweet root. With more force than he would have thought possible, the goat chomps though the thick carrot, bite by bite. 

“Woah, I guess you really can eat through tin cans.” 

“He has and he will no doubt do it again. But he can also be really gentle. Offer him the sunflower seeds.”

“You sure?” Dean pictures his finger being chomped in half instead of the carrot as Gabe takes another bite. 

“Just hold your hand out flat, palm up.”

Dean does as instructed and Gabe uses his lips to nibble the seeds. They are soft and gentle. The hairs tickle his palm. “You like that, huh.” Once the goat is done, he runs around to rearrange the fresh straw in his stall.

Cas hangs up a loose mesh bag of hay before heading over to one of the other stalls which is set up more like a wood working shop. He grabs a few 2x4s from a pile in the corner and starts to measure and mark them. 

“So, what kind of farmer are you?” Dean asks, noticing a lack of other animals in the barn.

“I’m an apiculturist.”

“An ape-y-what-now?”

“An apiculturist, a beekeeper,” Cas clarifies as he starts to get a table saw ready to cut the wood. 

“Oh.” Then it dawns on him, “so you made the honey we had on the toast?”

“Technically the bees made the honey. I just collected it.”

“What are you doing now?”

“I need to make a new frame for the hive in the lower field. Want to watch?”

Cas hands him a pair of safety goggles, and Dean feels himself blush when their fingers meet. If Cas notices he doesn’t let on, instead donning his own goggles and starting up the table saw. The whine of the blade halts their conversation. Dean sits down on a wool blanket that is draped over a bale of straw to watch Cas work. The pile of lumber is reshaped into smaller pieces. Once all the cuts have been made, and the saw turned off, he starts to arrange the pieces on a table. He easily swings a hammer, turning the lumber into rectangular frames.

“How did you learn to do all of this?” Dean asks.

“Went to school to major in botany and took additional courses in beekeeping.”

“Did they also teach you carpentry?”

“No, I picked that up on my own. Most beekeepers buy pre-made frames, but I like to build my own.”

A comfortable silence falls between them while Cas finishes the frames.

“Now what?” Dean asks.

“Now we get that collar off of you.”

Dean’s eyes widen as they dart over to the table saw. 

Cas starts to laugh, “No, not like that. Come on over here, I have a much safer way.” Dean approaches the Alpha. He brings out a wire with wooden handles on either end and several strips of scrap leather for Dean to inspect. “This is a diamond wire hand saw. It can cut through almost anything. I just need to feed it under the collar, and we can protect your neck with the leather.”

“Won’t it cut through the leather and then me?” Dean swallows nervously.

“No, I’ll be pulling away from you, the leather is more of a precaution. Do you trust me?”

Dean looks at the wire and then up at Cas. His blue eyes sparkle like an ocean. Dean takes a deep breath and smells the fresh scent of the Alpha. It puts his nerves at ease. He clears his throat. “Yeah, I trust you.”

Cas brings him over to one of the posts in the barn and sits him on a foot stool. He instructs him to hug the post tightly, keeping his head braced against it. The leather is fed under the collar, followed by the wire. Dean shuts his eyes tight when the sawing begins. He does not get cut, but the vibrations are loud next to his ear, and the pressure of the collar on the opposite side of his neck hurts. After several minutes, the wire snaps out having cut through the metal. 

“Are you okay, Dean?” Cas’ voice sound far away. It takes Dean a moment to understand the words.

“I’m fine,” he says. At least he thinks he says it. He must because Cas answers him.

“We still have to do the other side. Do you need to take a break?”

“No, no. Just do it.” His voice sound more confident that he feels.

Cas carefully repositions Dean and starts on the other side. The loud sound of the cutting wire is drowned out by a rushing sound in his ears. 

……………………….

Everything is dark, but someone is calling his name. It sounds like he’s in a tunnel. Everything is distorted. There is a light far in the distance. It doesn’t look like its moving at first, but then it rushes towards him with all the sounds.

“Dean! Dean! Wake up!” 

Cas’ voice is loud right next to him. He can hear the concern and worry. His scent smells like a thunderstorm. He doesn’t want his Alpha to worry. He struggles to open his eyes. 

“Dean, can you hear me?”

“‘m ss-ry,” he manages to croak out. 

“What? You have nothing to be sorry about. I should have stopped and made you rest. It’s my fault you fainted.”

Dean can finally see enough to make out that they are back in the house. He’s laying on the couch. Cas is carding his fingers through his hair and it feels good, safe. “Is it off?”

“The collar?”

Dean weakly nods his head.

“Yeah, it’s off.” Cas takes Dean’s hand in his and places it up on his neck. 

Dean can feel the skin there for the first time in years. He thought he would die with that collar on. He let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

“Do you think you can sit up? You should drink a glass of water and then you should probably take a nap.”

Cas has to help him with the glass since his hands are shaking. Then the Alpha slips off the muck boots and tucks him back into the couch with a throw pillow and a blanket.

Dean’s eyes are closed and he’s already drifting off when the thinks he hears Cas whisper “Sleep well,” as he continues to gently card his finger through his hair.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another nightmare.  
> TW: we find out what happens to Dean after he is taken, sexual abuse and human trafficking

Dean tries to open his eyes. Everything is blurry. There are men talking above him. He must be laying on the floor. It feels hard enough. He tries to call for help, but his mouth is so dry, it feels like there is cotton in his mouth. He tries again but realizes there actually is fabric stuffed in his mouth. He tries to reach up and pull it out, but his arms are secured behind his back. Huh? He tries to sit up, but only ends up weakly kicking out with a leg. His body doesn’t want to listen to him. Why is that? Drugs. He was drugged. He recognizes the voices now. Sink man, Kubrick is talking to someone with an accent. He can’t make out what they are saying. Gordon speaks up next. Gordon is the one who killed Dad. The one who killed Sammy.

Dean closes his eyes. No one here is going to help him. He hopes they just kill him quickly. He’s lost everything he’s ever cared about. Why not his own life? It means nothing now.

“A pleasure doing business with you, boys,” says the accent. 

“Any time, Crowley,” Gordon responds. Foot steps retreat and a door closes.

“Bring him over here,” the accent, Crowley, demands.

Large rough hands grab him on either side and hoist him up. More Alphas based on their scents. One of the hands tightly grips his hair to steady his lolling head. The room starts to come into focus. He’s in an plush office with a large dark wooden desk and dark leather chairs. The men holding him up are dressed in grey uniforms. A man in a black suit is wearing a stained leather apron. Dean doesn’t want to think about where those stains have come from. The man takes his time, pouring himself a drink from a decanter and taking a sip. Finally he turns to regard Dean.

“Well, let’s see what we have.” He puts down the drink and picks up a nasty looking curved blade. He walks up to Dean, grabs his shirt and expertly slices it down the front. Dean tries to struggle, but he’s still weak from whatever Kubrick shot him up with, and the men on either side are holding him in an iron grip. He also doesn’t want to get nicked by the blade. After his shirt, the sharp knife makes quick work of his denim jeans. Within moments he is completely naked.

The man runs a hand down his chest like he is a butcher sizing up a piece of meat. Dean winces when the hand stops to pinch a nipple. 

“You like that, don’t you?”

Dean just glares back. He hopes he is giving an ‘I will kill you’ glare, but he’s pretty sure all they see is scared little Omega. They can probably smell it too. Dean has never been more frightened in his life.

Crowley chuckles, and his hand creeps further down. He grabs Dean’s small cock and balls and gives them a tug. Dean stifles his grunt. As if on cue, the guards kick his legs apart and Crowley thrusts a dry finger into his hole, causing him to cry out through the gag.

“Yes, very good.” The finger is quickly removed and the gag is pulled from Dean’s mouth. “What’s your name, bitch?”

Dean doesn’t answer. He is rewarded with a slap across his face hard enough to break the grip the guard had on his hair.

“I asked you a question. What’s your name, bitch.”

“Dea-,” he’s slapped again, his cheek stings. He fights against the tears that want to form.

Crowley grabs him by the hair, and leans in close. He can smell the alcohol on his breath. The Alpha speaks in a low growl. “Once more, and get it right this time. What’s your name, bitch?”

Dean swallows dryly. “Bitch, sir.” He feels his cheeks reddening from humiliation instead of a slap this time. It somehow feels worse.

“Not as dumb as we look then. Has anyone ever fucked that tight little hole of yours?”

“No, sir.”

“I thought so.”

Crowley roughly yanks on his hair before releasing his hold and heading back to the desk. He tosses the knife down and picks up the tumbler to take another sip of his drink.

“Any modifications boss?” asks one of the guards.

“No,” he replies quickly. “This little virgin is an unmarked canvas. He’ll fetch a high price as is. Take him to cell number 4. I want him cleaned out, ringed, and hooked up. And if I hear of anyone sampling the merchandise, I will personally slice their cock off.”

“Yes, sir,” the guards say in unison. 

Dean is dragged from the plush office down a set of cold windowless hallways. He’s tossed into a concrete room with a drain in the floor, and eyebolts located in different places throughout the floor, walls, and ceiling. He tries to fight back but the Alpha guards are huge and too strong. They wrangle his wrists and ankles into metal cuffs that lock, and then place a metal collar around his neck. They force him into a spread eagle and clip his cuffs and collar to the eyebolts in the floor. It doesn’t escape his attention that his ass is directly over the metal grate of the drain.

He hears the unmistakable sound of a latex glove snapping into place somewhere behind him. The Alpha walks around to kneel between his legs, and a cold lubed finger starts shoving at his hole. 

“Please, stop,” Dean begs, but his cries fall on deaf ears.

The fingers thrust a tube into him and he can feel a cuff inflate, painfully locking it in place. Cold water starts to flow inside him. He tries to wiggle away from the sensation, not that he can. Dean can feel his belly expanding and then the cramps start to hit him. He groans and pulls at his restraints to no avail. He’s panting as another wave of cramps hit him. He feels like they are going to tear him apart. 

He loses track of time as the guard alternates between adding more water and pushing on his abdomen. He is groaning in pain when he feels the cuff start to deflate and the tube is pulled out. No, no, no, no, no…. He knows what’s going to happen next, and he clenches down. He thinks he would rather die from the cramps than face the alternative.

“Come on, bitch, we don’t have all day,” says the guard like Dean is inconveniencing him. A booted foot pushes on his belly and Dean can’t hold back anymore. He can hear the liquid sloshing down the drain. Any relief he feels from expelling the liquid is replaced by shame. He can feel his body flush with heated embarrassment. That is until the icy blast of a hose hits him.

The force of the spray stings his skin, especially in tender areas like his genitals. They hit every inch of him. When they spray hits him in the face they tell him to drink now, because he won’t get any more until tomorrow. By the time they turn the hose off he is shivering uncontrollably, teeth chattering. When he is unclipped from the ground, he immediately huddles into a ball. 

The cell door squeaks open, and one guard leaves only to come back wheeling in some kind of leather clad bench with a dildo attached to mechanical arms at either end. They easily pick him up and lay him chest down on the bench with his ass hanging off the edge. All five of his restraints are clipped into place, leaving him just enough slack to rock back and forth an inch or so. Hands grab his cock and balls, forcing them into a tight cock ring. A lubed finger is pushing at his hole again. It swipes and pulls at his rim, stretching him out and adding more lube. The prep is minimal. Then he feels the blunt end of the dildo behind him line up with his hole. He tries to rock forward to get away from it, but the other guard grabs his jaw and forces his mouth around the cock shaped dildo attached in front of him. 

They tighten the fit of of the fucking machine, forcing the head of the dildo in back passed his rim, before turning it on. They stand back to admire their work. If he tries to rock forward away from the dildo pushing into his ass, he will choke himself on the cock shaped gag in his mouth. And likewise, if he tries to rock back when the gag pushes down his throat, he impales himself deeper on the dildo up his ass. There is no escape.

The guard hits a button and the dildo starts to vibrate against his prostate as it pumps in and out. Dean closes his eyes in shame as he feels himself getting hard from the stimulation.

“Have a good night, bitch.” The guards laugh as they leave. The door closes with a loud clang that echos through the room. A moment later the lights are turned off. The darkness is complete. 

This must be Hell.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean has a flashback in this chapter.  
> TW: More sexual and physical abuse at the shelter.

Cas is in the kitchen fixing lunch. Turkey clubs with the left over bacon from this morning, and a side of Greek yogurt with honey. He’s been beating himself up ever since Dean fainted. He thought the boy looked pale, well more pale, after he finished the first cut on the collar. He should have stopped and made him rest. 

He’s setting the table when he smells it. The burnt sugar scent of scared and frighted Omega. He drops everything and rushes into the living room. Dean is writhing on the couch, trapped in a nightmare. Immediately he’s at the boy’s side.

“Dean? Dean? Wake up. You’re having a nightmare. Dean!”

Green eyes dilated in fear snap open. Dean reaches out and pulls Cas into a bone crushing hug. The Omega clings to him and buries his nose in the Alpha’s neck.

“I’ve got you. You’re safe.” He pats the back of Dean’s head, hair sweaty beneath his fingers. He holds him until his shaking subsides, and his scent evens out. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Dean scents him again before answering, “I just… I thought… I dreamt I was back there.”

“Back with the Alpha who kept you? The police officer?”

“No, back at the shelter. The men who killed my dad and Sammy, they sold me to a shelter.”

“Dean…” Cas didn’t know what to say, but Dean doesn’t seem to notice. He just holds onto Cas like his life depends on it and continues to talk.

“It was run like a dungeon. They kept us in cells where they… ‘prepped’ us for buyers. The ‘Adoption Events’ were fronts for a Slave Auction. I… I was lucky. Some of the Omegas were pierced, or branded, sterilized, had their vocal cords removed. There was another male Omega there, they… they castrated him.” His voice a broken whisper.

Cas pulls back to look at Dean, but the boy is elsewhere, lost in his unpleasant memories.

………………………….

Dean has no idea how long he’s been in Hell. No windows, not even a crack of light through the door. Just the constant whir of the machine. Saliva runs down his chin. He quickly learned how to deep throat the cock shaped gag and time his breathing; otherwise, he would have choked and died. He thought about it, ending his life, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Instead he groans as the dildo incessantly vibrates against his sore and swollen prostate. A steady stream of slick drips from his hole. The cock ring keeps him from achieving release. His throbbing and aching member hangs heavy between his legs, dripping with what little is milked with each and every pass. He feels like his body has betrayed him.

Suddenly he is blinded by light. He shuts his eyes tight, feeling like his retinas have been burned away. The cell door creaks open and footsteps approach. The machine is turned off and the gag and dildo are pulled out of him. He gulps in fresh air. Still not having found release he tries to rut into the bench even though he knows he cannot reach it. A hand pulls his head up by the hair as he pants with need.

“What a wanton little bitch you are.” Crowley’s alcoholic breath assaults his nose. “This is all you are good for. Being fucked. Remember that.” His hair is released and his head falls down, hanging low. “Get him ready for the event tonight,” he orders.

A guard thrusts a water bottle into his mouth and Dean clumsily laps at the water. He doesn’t want to, but he’s so thirsty. Another wipes him down with a rough towel and then unclips him from the bench. They drag him from his cell and down the windowless hallway to a room with a stage. There are other Omegas already chained to pillars that are spaced evenly throughout the stage. He looks around. The other Omegas, all women except for one other older man, are as naked and debauched as he is. He is chained to his own pillar, arms pulled tight behind him, legs spread wide with a bar, everything on display. 

The room starts to spin and he feels a little like he’s floating. Shit! The water was probably drugged. He knows he should probably be panicking, but he’s not. Then he feels the first prickle of heat on his neck. Oh no! No, no, no, no, no…. It must have contained synthetic hormones to induce a quick and dirty heat. He feels the flush rush down the rest of his body. His erection gets even more painfully hard and he is undulating his hips. Slick starts to leak down his thighs. He feels an overwhelming need to be filled.

Lost in his own world, he only barely registers the curtain being raised. A chain link fence separates a horde of faceless Alphas in the audience from accessing the stage full of Omegas in heat. Spotlights follow Crowley and he weaves in and out of the Omegas, poking and prodding, showing off their ‘assets.’ When he gets to Dean, he pinches his nipple and Dean lets out a filthy moan. Crowley cups his face, and to his own disgust, he catches himself sucking on the man’s thumb. Numbers are being thrown around too fast for Dean to follow. The only word he registers is the word ‘sold.’ It echos over and over inside his head.

After the event, the guards drag the Omegas off stage, there are gurneys where some are strapped down so they can be modified to their Alpha’s specifications. He hears the other male Omega scream as his testicles are cauterized off. Dean is afraid they are going to do that to him. Instead he is lead to a room where he is forced to kneel. His wrists are clipped together behind his back.

The door opens.  
It is the first time he sees his tormentor. 

………………………

“Dean! Can you hear me?” Cas has been trying unsuccessfully to get Dean to snap out of the flashback. “They can’t hurt you. I won’t let them. You’re safe. I’ve got you.” His litany of reassurances seems to be having no effect. He has Dean cradled in his arms, nose pushed into his scent gland, trying to keep his own panic at bay while rocking him back and forth. “Come back to me, please. I need you to snap out of it. I need you….”

“Cas?” The voice is weak, confused.

“Dean!” Relief washes over Cas. “Dean, I thought I lost you, I was so scared.”

“What just happened?”

“You had a nightmare, and then I think you had a flashback. But you’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you. I’ll keep you safe.” Without even thinking he places a kiss on the boy’s forehead. Dean snuggles into his embrace, and Cas’ heart melts. The burnt sugar leaves Dean’s scent and now he is getting only warm vanilla and cinnamon. He could live in that scent forever. He hugs the boy tighter. “I’ll watch over you now.”

Dean takes a deep breath, scenting him. “I trust you.” Cas is shocked by his words. Before he can say anything, Dean continues. “I don’t know why, but I trust you. You make me feel safe. Please don’t send me away.”

“Dean, I would never…. Look at me.” He pulls back so he can see the boy’s face. Shimmering green eyes pierce his soul. “Dean, I mean every word. I will protect you. No matter what. You can have a home here as long as you like. I… I want you to stay.”

“Cas, I’ve… I… I’m not worth it.”

“Nonsense. You deserve a home where you can be safe. And I’m not asking for anything in return.” He sighs and pulls Dean close again. “I just wish I could have saved you sooner.”

They hold each other until the boy’s stomach growls, ending the moment. Dean looks up sheepishly. Cas laughs. “I guess it’s lunch time.” He hoists Dean up to standing. He’s still a little shaky and pale. But after a few bites of the sandwich and half a glass of orange juice he is starting to look better.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Missouri and Donna come back to help as promised.

Missouri arrives as they are finishing lunch. She takes Dean upstairs to help him with another bath and to change his bandages. Afterwards, the Beta and Omega sit on the porch swing. Cas is happy to see Dean finally talking with the woman. While Missouri is always a formidable force, her instincts to mother her patients are probably exactly what Dean needs right now. 

He gives them space, heading over to the barn to put the finishing touches on the new frames. Tomorrow he’ll take the frames down to the lower field and get them set up. Hopefully Dean will want to watch. He has never been more thankful for his flexible schedule. 

When he heads back up to the house, Dean is near the garden, watching Gabriel dance around him as he jumps on and off an old tree stump. Apparently, the goat is enjoying the warmer weather and bright sunlight. Cas joins Missouri who is still up on the porch, watching Dean. Gabriel kicks out and jumps around sideways, letting out a bleat of joy. He’s showing off for his newest audience member and Dean is eating it up. The boy’s face lights up with a laugh at the goat’s antics. Cas feels his heart swell. 

“Mmmm-hmmm,” Missouri hums.

“What is that supposed to mean?” He questions over his shoulder, not taking is eyes off of Dean.

“Why, Honey, I do think you are smitten.”

Cas sighs. “I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. All I know is that Dean consumes each and every one of my thoughts.” He finally turns to face the older woman and sees her smirk. “You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you.”

“Castiel, whatever do you mean?”

“Don’t feign innocence with me. I know about your gifts. Setting up Garth and Bess. Cesar and Jesse.”

“I didn’t set anybody up. I just saw what was plain as day if you looked right.”

“I don’t know how this can be right. Dean has been through too much. I can’t… It’s not right of me to feel this way…”

“There you go thinking with that brain of yours,” she interrupts. “What do you feel with your heart when you look at him?” 

Cas looks back at Dean. He is resting his forehead against Gabe’s, who is standing on the tall stump, enjoy the scratch he is getting behind his ears, little tail wagging in a blur. Dean tilts his head a little and his green eyes lock on Cas’ blue ones. He gives Cas a smile. 

“I feel like I would give anything to see him smile and hear him laugh everyday. I want to make up for everything he has suffered ten times over. I want to keep him safe forever. And I’m afraid I’ll never be enough.”

“You are more than enough, Castiel. You are exactly what that boy needs.” Cas huffs in disagreement. “How does he smell to you?”

Cas pauses. “Like home.”

……………………….

Dean insists on helping Cas with the dishes after their dinner of leftover burgers. He’s relegated to the simple task of drying since Cas said he couldn’t risk getting his bandages wet. They keep the conversation light. Cas tells him about his plan to set up the new hive tomorrow, and invites Dean to come watch. He’s a little worried about being near all of those bees, but Cas assures him they will be safe. 

As the last dish is put away, there is a knock at the door. Cas goes to answer. Donna steps inside, dressed in jeans and a sweater with her hair down. She has a messenger bag and she’s carrying a pie. 

“Hey, Castiel, sorry I’m here late, but Chuck didn’t get the papers back to me until this afternoon. I also decided to make pie. Pie makes everything better.”

“Thank you, Donna,” Cas says, relieving her of the pie.

Dean is hanging back at the doorway between the living room and kitchen. Donna looks his way and gives him a smile. “I’m sorry I scared you the other day. But I was hoping we could try again. Hello, Dean.”

“Hi,” he replies quietly.

“You feeling any better?” she asks.

He nods. “W-what kind of pie did you make?” His voice is a little louder.

“Apple. You want some?”

He nods again. 

“Well, I guess we aren’t done with the dishes after all,” Cas laughs. He pats Dean on the shoulder as he heads back into the kitchen.

……………………….

Dean is in Heaven. Apple and cinnamon explode in his mouth. He can’t help but moan at how good it tastes. He’s already shoving a second bite into his mouth when he realizes Donna and Cas are staring at him, they haven’t even touched their slices yet. He freezes with the fork in his mouth.

“I take it you approve?” Donna asks, trying to hold back a smirk.

“Dis is delish-shush!” he speaks around the mouthful.

“I’m glad you like it.” A genuine smile lights up her face.

Cas and Donna debate which apples are the best for pie while Dean finishes off his slice and dives in for another.

“Well, as nice as this is, we should really get the paperwork signed. Dean?” she proceeds cautiously. “The local judge, Chuck Shurley, is a friend. He expedited your case for me. I know the laws are stupid, but I just want to make sure you are protected.” She reaches into her bag and pulls out a couple of forms. “This will give Cas temporary custody of you while your case is being investigated. That means no one else can claim you or take you away without Chuck, myself, and Cas all signing off on it.”

Dean swallows thickly. “My dad had legal custody of me. He was an Alpha. It didn’t stop traffickers from taking me, killing him and my brother in the process.”

“What?” Donna gasps. She looks at Cas who nods in solemn conformation.

“Dean, why don’t you tell Donna what you told me.” He places his hand on Dean’s giving it an encouraging squeeze. And then Cas slides his chair right up next to Dean’s so the boy can scent him better. 

Dean takes a deep breath to steal himself and nods. Donna actually gets out a tape recorder, explaining it will save Dean from having to retell his story over and over again. 

He tells them about the truck stop. No, unfortunately Dean doesn’t know which one, just that it was on their way to a new job in South Dakota. He tells them about Kubrick and Gordon. What they looked like. How they assaulted him and killed his father and brother. How they drugged him and sold him to Crowley. He tells them about the ‘shelter’ and the ‘adoption event’ actually being a ‘sex dungeon’ and ‘slave auction.’ He tells them how the Omegas were cut and pierced and mutilated to meet their buyers preferences. He tells them how he was lead to that room, the room where he meet the man who bought him, and… and….

“Donna?” Cas’ voice is gentle and deep. “Maybe that’s enough for tonight.” Cas cards his fingers through Dean’s hair. He didn’t have a flashback, but he’s spent, exhausted. He nestles his head into Cas’ shoulder. Tear flow silently down his cheeks, soaking into Cas’ shirt, but the Alpha doesn’t seem to mind. He realizes he sitting in Cas’ lap at this point.

Donna clears her throat. “I think you’re right.” She shuts off the tape recorder.

“Dean, you did really well tonight, you were very brave,” Cas whispers into his head.

“Thank you,” Donna says. “Dean? Do you want us to sign the papers? I won’t do it unless you agree.”

Dean clears his throat and takes a shaky breath. “Yeah.” 

“Okay.” She pulls out a pen. “All I need is your full name, and then Cas and I can sign it.”

“Winchester.”

“What!” Donna exclaims.

Dean picks his head up to see her shocked face, jaw dropped. He looks at Cas, but he seems just as confused by her reaction as he is.

“Winchester? You’re Dean Winchester?” she repeats.

He nods slowly. What is going on?

“Your parents were John and Mary Winchester.”

“Yeah, how did you…” but she cuts him off.

“Your brother is Sam Winchester.”

“Wait, is?” asks Cas.

“Dean, your brother is alive!” she declares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger!!!! I could't resist.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean finds out what happened to Sammy.

“What?” It’s Dean’s turn for a shocked face and a dropped jaw. Sam’s alive? No, he can’t believe it. If it’s not true, it would crush him.

“Dean,” Donna goes on, “your kidnapping and father’s murder were picked up by the FBI three years ago. One of their agents, Victor Henriksen, came here asking questions shortly after it happened. I didn’t realized you were that Dean.”

“Sam’s alive?!” Cas seems like he hardly believes it either.

She pulls out her phone and makes a call. They hear a disgruntled voice complaining about the late hour when the line picks up. 

“Victor, shut it. That case I wanted your help with, it’s the Winchester case.”

“What? You found Dean!” They can hear the man’s voice clearly now through the phone even though it’s not on speaker. 

“Just get your ass over here and text me Sam Winchester’s contact information ASAP!” She hangs up.

“Donna, what’s going on?” Cas demands.

“Dean. After your father was killed, one of the gas station attendants found your brother. He was taken to the hospital, and had emergency surgery. It was days before he was conscious. No one knew that you were even missing until Sam woke up and asked for you.”

“Dean?” Cas looks at him with concerned blue eyes.

Just then Donna’s phone buzzes with a text message. She dials the number. A surly voice answers. “Is this Bobby Singer?… This is Sheriff Donna Hanscum of Pine Point, Minnesota. I need to speak with Sam Winchester…. No, he’s not in trouble…. Yes, I know it’s late on a school night…. This is in regards to his brother…. No, we found him, he’s alive.”

Donna places the phone down on the table and switches it over to speaker. They can all overhear the gruff voice of the man on the other end. “Sam. Sam. Wake up. There is a police officer on the phone with information about Dean.”

“Dean?!” It’s his brother’s voice.

“Sammy!” 

“Dean! Is that really you?”

“Sammy, I thought you were dead.”

“Where are you? What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m…” He doesn’t know how to answer that. He feels Cas grip his shoulder, lending him support. “I’m okay now. I…” He can’t continue. All the emotions are just too much.

“Dean, what’s going on?”

Donna interrupts his little brother. “Sam, I’m Sherriff Donna Hanscum.”

“Is Dean okay, why isn’t he talking?”

“Dean has been though a lot. I think he’s just a little overwhelmed right now.”

“When can I see him?”

“Sam, can you put Bobby back on the line? We will make the arrangements.”

“Okay. Can Dean still hear me?”

“Yes, he can.”

“I love you, Dean.”

The tears stream from his eyes. Dean wants to say the words back, but he can’t even speak right now. He just nods. Donna assures Sam that Dean heard him, and then she goes into the living room to talk to the other man. 

“Dean, this is amazing. Sam’s alive.” Cas hugs him tight. 

Dean just buries his head into Cas’ neck. The fresh smell of rain, apples, and honey helps to ground him. They stay like that for a long time. Cas pets his hair and whispers assurances that everything is going to be alright. Eventually his breathing calms down and he finds his voice. “Cas? What happens now?”

“We sign those papers.” Donna walks back into the room, a serious look on her face.

“But, don’t I have to go live with Sammy?” Dean wants to be with Sam, but at the same time he’s afraid. Will Sam even want to be with him after he finds out about everything Dean has done? A small part of his brain tells him that he was forced, that none of it was his fault. But would others see it that way? He looks at Cas. The smile on the Alpha’s face doesn’t reach his eyes. There is a sadness in those deep blue eyes. Living with Sam would also mean leaving Cas. But what will Cas think of him when knows everything?

“Dean, do you remember the name Bobby Singer?” Donna asks.

It was the name of the man on the phone with Sam. Something is familiar about it. Singer. Singer something. “Singer Salvage?”

“Yes.” Donna confirms.

“Wait, you know the man Sam is living with?” Cas asks.

“No. That was the job we were heading to in Sioux Falls. My dad was a mechanic. He had gotten a job at Singer Salvage.”

“When your dad didn’t show up for the job, Bobby started to get worried. He knew John was really interested because Bobby had offered him a place for you all to stay along with the work.”

Dean remembers they never could get ahead. Raising two kids as a single father on a mechanic’s income was hard. They spent most of their lives living out of the Impala. Renting required a deposit. Buying required a down payment. Even run down motels eventually added up.

Donna continues. “When he found out what happened to John and you, and that Sam was alone with no family to turn to, he offered to take Sam in. He fostered Sam for the first 2 years, and when Sam presented as a Beta last year, he officially adopted him.”

Dean lets out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding. Sammy is a Beta. Sammy would never have to face any of the things that Dean has.

“Wouldn’t this Bobby want to take in Dean as well? So the boys could be together?” Cas’ voice sounds forced.

“Of course he would, but Bobby is also a Beta. So legally he can’t. Dean,” Donna’s voice gets softer, “staying with Castiel is still the safest and best option for you.”

Cas turns Dean so he can look directly at him cupping his face with his hand. “Dean, we can visit Bobby and Sam any time you like. They can come and visit here. We can make it work.”

Dean searches those blue eyes. He trusts Cas. He nods in agreement.

Donna finishes filling out the paperwork and then she and Cas both sign it. Dean feels a weight being lifted from him. He has a home, legally.

“Bobby said they could get here the day after tomorrow, so you will see your brother soon. Henriksen texted me and said he and his team will be here tomorrow at noon. I know it’s a lot to ask, but he’s going to want to speak with you. I’ll send him the recording, so you don’t have to relive all of that again. His unit works human trafficking cases. It’s possible the information you give him can help save other Omegas. Do you think you can do it?”

Dean nods his head. No one should have to go through a fraction of what he has.

“It’s really late, and it’s been a really long day. We should all get some sleep.” Cas suggests.

“Your right,” Donna agrees. She stands up and starts packing up the forms.

“Donna.” She pauses to look at him. “Thank you… for everything.”

“Anytime, Dean.”

…………………………

Dean looks exhausted by the time Cas gets him upstairs and ready to sleep. He steers the boy into his bed. He knows Dean will be more comfortable surrounded by the smell of an Alpha he trusts. He gets up after tucking him in, but Dean grabs his hand, stopping him.

“I don’t want to be alone.” His voice is so small.

“I was just going to sleep in the chair. I said I would watch over you.” He gives the boy a reassuring squeeze of the hand.

“Cas, you can’t be comfortable in that thing,” Dean says a little more confidently, eyeing the chair.

“I don’t mind."

“Could you… you could… sleep here.” Dean keeps his gaze on their joined hands.

Cas feels his resolve beginning to slip away. He wants to sleep with Dean in his bed. He wants to do more than sleep with Dean in his bed. It’s so not appropriate what he want’s to do with Dean in his bed. 

But then Dean looks up at him, green eyes pleading. “Please.”

And his resolve is gone. How can he say no to that. Besides, they are both dressed in sweats and t-shirts. Nothing is going to happen. Dean is just seeking out safety and security. “Okay.”

He slides under the covers, and Dean immediately clings to him like he is a human body pillow. The boy scents him and snuggles in deeper. “G’night, Cas,” comes a sleepy voice.

Cas smiles and presses a kiss to the top of Dean’s head. “Good night, Dean.”

Within moments Dean is out. Cas is not surprised. Today was an emotional roller coaster for the boy. If he’s being honest with himself, it was one for him as well. He couldn’t be happier for Dean, finding out Sam is alive. But he’d be lying if he didn’t admit that part of him panicked at the thought of Dean leaving. Was it really only two days ago that he found Dean in his barn? How did he get attached so quickly?

He takes a deep breath, enjoying the warm vanilla and cinnamon scent of the Omega. Neither of them have actually talked about it, but they had been openly scenting each other all day. Missouri practically signed off on them being together, Donna actually did come to think of it. But Dean can’t want that, not after all the trauma he’s been through. He might never want that. The thought makes him sad, and then he feels guilty for being sad about that. Missouri would probably have some crazy saying, that he’s acting like a baby in a trench coat or something. But no, this needs to be about Dean first and foremost. He promises he will give the boy anything he needs, a home, safety, support, comfort, even if Dean never wants him the way he wants Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG! Sammy breaks my fucking heart.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cas has a dream.  
> TW: mild sexual content

Cas wakes up to the wonderful feeling of something warm and wet around his cock. Pleasure radiates through his body with each kiss and lick. A hot tongue swirls around the head and pushes into the sensitive tissue underneath. The warm mouth sucks him down to his knot. He feels the pressure build up inside him. He lifts the covers to see Dean, green eyes staring up at him though long lashes, looking absolutely sinful with those lips stretched around him.

Cas’ wakes with a start. What the fuck?! He’s panting and sweaty. He looks down to see his erection tenting the sheets. Dean is actually sound asleep, curled into his side. Fuck! It was only a dream. Only the most intense wet dream he’s ever had. He looks down again at his situation which is demanding his attention. He quickly extricates himself, thankfully without waking Dean, and hastily retreats to the shower.

He stares at the tap for a moment. Hot or cold? His dick twitches and he hopes he doesn’t regret this as he turns the water to the hot. With a handful of body wash he quickly strokes himself while picturing Deans sucking him off. Forehead and other arm braced against the wall, he bites his lip to prevent the groan that wants to escape from his body as he pops his knot and comes. The orgasm is so intense he sees stars. He tries to catch his breath as his body shudders with the after effects. His legs feel like jelly. 

He listens but there are no sounds coming from the bedroom. He breathes a sigh of relief. He rinses the evidence of his release off the wall and takes his time in the shower, waiting for his knot to go down. He even reaches out to open the window, letting the cold morning air in to help clear out the scent of his arousal.

……………………….

Dean feels cold. He registers the sound of the shower coming from the bathroom. Opening his eyes, he finds himself alone in the bed. He didn’t have any nightmares. He breathes a sigh of relief, taking in the Alpha’s scent from the sheets. It smells like an apple orchard with a hint of honey, and… and… Fuck! Arousal!

Dean bolts up in bed, heart pounding, trying to catch his breath. 

The minutes tick by and nothing happens. The shower is still running and he is still alone. No one is hurting him, no one is making him scream or beg, no one is fucking him. He runs a shaky hand through his hair as he tries and fails to slow his breathing.

His Alpha was aroused! Or maybe it’s just because he’s an Alpha, you moron, and they are always fucking horny! Wait, that’s not fair. Not all Alphas are abusive, sadistic knot-heads. There are good Alphas. Cas is a good Alpha. Right? And a good Alpha deserves a good Omega to take care of their needs, but… Cas is obviously taking care of himself right now. He must not be good enough for Cas. Of course, he’s not. If he was, his Alpha would have fucked him. But he’s broken, tainted, ruined. Cas would never desire him. He will never be enough for his Alpha. Shit! When did his brain start thinking of Cas as ‘his Alpha?’ But Cas signed the papers last night. Cas is legally his Alpha. But that was just out of pity, to keep him out of an Omega shelter. He’s nothing more than a rescue case. He’ll never want Dean like that. Why does that thought make him feel sad? Fuck!

Dean grabs his head with both hands and drops his forehead to his knees. He is so confused. He takes another deep breath to try and calm his breathing and he is flooded with Cas’ scent again. He feels a trickle of slick from his hole. No! Why did he have to present as an Omega! Why does his body betray him? Because he is an Omega bitch, that’s why, and the only thing he’ll ever be good for is being fucked, and he can’t even do that right for his Alpha!

………………………

Cas shuts off the water and towels dry. His knot is down and he feels satisfied from one of the most intense orgasms he’s ever had. But he also feels guilty. Shit! He forgot to grab clean clothes. He wraps the towel around his waist and steels himself before pushing open the bathroom door.

The sight and scents that greet him have him reeling. Dean is on the bed, bandaged wrists, hands fisted in his hair, rocking back and forth. The burnt sugar smell of his distress lies heavy in the room along with the cloyingly sweet smell of slick.

He rushes over to the Omega. He wants to reach out and comfort him, but all he’s wearing is a towel. “Dean what’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, Alpha. I’ll be good,” comes a whispered plea.

“Dean, you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“But you didn’t fuck me.”

That is not the response he expected. “Uh… did… did you want me to fuck you?”

“No!” comes the exasperated reply. “Yes. I don’t know. It’s just that I could smell….” he trails off.

Dean must have scented his arousal. He must not have hid his scent well enough. Damn it! He caused this. He thinks a moment on how best to handle this situation. Honesty with care and understanding has always been his approach to life. No matter how awkward this conversation is going to be, it’s one they need to have.

“I was aroused, Dean. I do find you very attractive.”

“You do?” Dean looks relieved, skeptical, and afraid all at once.

“Yes, but I would never take advantage of you,” he quickly adds. “Dean, you’ve been through a major trauma. You need time to heal, not just physically, but also mentally.”

“But you’ve been so good to me, and I want to be good for you, but all I’m good for is being fucked and I… I can’t even… I don’t know…” 

He sees Dean is spiraling deeper into whatever this is, so he reaches out and puts a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Dean you are more than just something to be used. And I’m not asking you for anything in return. I just want you to heal and live a happy life. Whether that life is with me, or with someone else who treats you right, I want to help you get there. That is what a good Alpha does.” 

He can see the cogs turning in Dean’s head as he takes in and comprehends what Cas has said. His breathing starts to even out and he looks less panicked. “You… you would do all that for me? Even if I wanted to be with someone else?”

“Yeah, if it made you happy, I would.”

“Wha- what if I wanted to stay, but I didn’t ever want to…”

“That’s okay too.”

“But what about you?”

Cas has to chuckle a little, “Dean, I’ve been taking care of my own needs for quite awhile now. I’ll be okay.” 

The tension finally breaks as Dean rolls his eyes.

“But,” he adds, “if you ever did want to… with me, I would never just fuck you, Dean. I would make love to you.”

……………………….

The look the Alpha gives him is so sweet, so sincere. Dean has never had anyone look at him like that before. Dean pulls him into a hug. “Thank you, Cas.” They stay like that for awhile. Taking comfort in each other’s embrace. Cas’ scent is extra fresh having just come out of the shower, and without any clothing to get in the way it is extra strong. He takes a deep breath and his body relaxes with the feelings of safety and security that the Alpha’s scent evokes in him. “Cas? Why do you smell like home to me?”

Cas looks shocked. The Alpha eventually finds his voice, “I’m not sure, Dean. I know it’s only been two days, but you smell like home to me too.” The Alpha’s deep voice rumbles into him. “Have… have you ever heard of… true mates?”

“Yeah. Do you think?” He pulls back to look at Cas. His hair is sticking up in all different directions from only being towel dried. His chest and arms are evenly muscled under nicely tanned skin.

“I don’t know, maybe,” Cas continues. “I’ve always had a hard time relating to other people, but with you, it just feel right.” 

“But if that’s true, and I can’t ever…”

“Dean,” Cas cuts him off, “What did I just say? None of that matters. If we ever get there, we will get there when you are ready.”

“Yeah, yeah. Okay.” 

“Come on. Let’s go eat breakfast.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More bonding, a trip into town, a check up with Missouri.

Cas makes them ham and cheese omelets topped with salsa. It’s delicious and warm, and Dean feels more settled than he has in a long time. Maybe that’s why he feels comfortable talking about his past. “My parents were true mates.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I think that’s why my mom’s death hit my dad so hard. He did the best he could by us afterwards, but he was never the same. Sometimes he drank too much. Sometimes he had trouble keeping a job, so we moved around a lot, never had enough money. There were times when we lived out of the car.” He sighs. “I loved that car. It was the most stable home I ever had.”

“What kind of car?”

“A ’67 Chevy Impala. I used to help my dad work on her. It was when I always felt closest to him.”

“You know how to work on cars?” Cas seems truly interested.

“Yeah, I mean, my dad was a mechanic. He taught me everything he could. Oil changes, tire rotation, plugs, breaks, transmission, engine rebuilds….”

“Wow! That’s really advanced”

“Sometimes we got to hang out in the shop he was working at. I loved all that stuff. Sammy, though, kid always had his face buried deep in a book.” Dean smiles. He’ll get to see Sammy tomorrow. 

“You know, I think I have a project you might be able to help with,” Cas says with a gleam in his eyes.

“Really?”

………………………..

The 6 bay carriage house is next to the barn. He slides open the doors and Dean follows him inside.

“Woah!” Dean exclaims.

His Ford F-150 is kept in the first bay. In the second is Cain’s old buggy. He couldn’t part with the piece of history. He had thought about getting a horse, but horses weren’t really his thing. (Goats weren’t really his thing either, but Cain insisted that Gabriel had to stay with the farm. Reluctantly, Cas had agreed to take on Gabe when he purchased the farm. So far the goat had been nothing but trouble; well, except for helping to save Dean that first night by keeping him warm.)

But what had immediately caught Dean’s attention, like he hoped it would, was Cain’s old 1950 Chevy 3100 truck in baby blue. The quintessential old time farm truck. 

Dean heads over to it and stares at it reverently. “Does she work?” 

“Not for a few years, but maybe you could help with that.”

“Really?” Dean’s face lights up at the prospect. He lifts the hood with a rusty squeak and starts inspecting the engine with a keen eye. 

“It came with the farm, and while I don’t really need it, I would love to get it restored.”

“She’s beautiful Cas. I can’t wait to get started.”

“Maybe you can work on a list of things you’ll need this weekend. I’m sure Bobby might be able to help you find any parts or tools that are hard to come by.”

“It’s probably going to cost. Are you sure you want to spend that much?” Dean asks hesitantly.

“Yeah, especially if it will make you happy. Besides, money is not an issue.”

“Huh? Beekeeping is that profitable?” 

“While I do turn a profit beekeeping, I have a trust fund from my father, he’s a writer.”

“What does he write?”

“Are you familiar with the series Supernatural?” Supernatural was not only a successful book series, but it was eventually made into an extremely popular TV series. 

“Wait! Your father is Carver Edlund? But your last name is Novak?”

“That’s his pen name. His real name is Robert Novak.”

“Wow!” Dean’s excitement fades, and his scent darkens a little.

“What’s wrong?” Cas is concerned about the sudden change. Dean was so happy just a moment ago.

“It’s nothing, really,” the boy tries to deflect.

“It’s not nothing. Did I say something wrong?”

“No!” Dean hastily reassures Cas. “It’s just that Sammy and I used to watch the show together every week. Two brother fighting monsters, it really clicked with us. But I just realized I’m three seasons behind.”

“I have all the seasons on DVD. You can catch up if you want, maybe even have a little marathon with Sam when they get here this weekend.”

“Really?” Cas just nods. “Thanks, Cas.”

“Come on, let’s set that new frame up in the lower field and then we can head into town to see Missouri and grab some lunch.”

……………………………..

The bees are not as scary as Dean thought they would be. Cas dressed them both in those beekeeper suits and it actual made Dean feel safe and secure enough to get close and watch Cas work. After depositing the suits back in the barn, they take the Ford into town. 

Pine Point was a small town through and through. Main street is the picture perfect postcard, with quaint shops and a manicured town square, complete with gazebo.

Cas points out landmarks, important places, his favorite dinner while they drive. Eventually he pulls over in front of a red brick house with a sign out front that says Mosley Medical. 

Missouri radiates warmth as she greets them and Dean follows her to an exam room while Cas waits in the sitting area. She gives him a moment behind a curtain to change into a soft cotton gown and he hops up onto the table.

“How are you doing, Sugar?” she asks while checking his eyes, ears, nose, and throat with a light.

“Okay, I guess.”

She exchanges the light for her stethoscope. “Just take a few deep breaths for me.” She takes a few minutes to listen to his heart and lungs. “Sounds good. You look like you are getting some color back in you. Is that boy feeding you right?”

“Yeah, I had forgotten how good food could taste. I’m also taking the vitamins you gave me.”

“Good. That boy is an excellent cook.” She checks the wounds and changes the bandages on his back, wrists, and ankles. “Those are coming along nicely. I think another day or two with the bandages and then you should be ok without them. How are you sleeping?”

“I-I’ve been having a lot of nightmares. I don’t remember having this many before.” 

“You were probably too exhausted before. I doubt you ever got enough sleep to even have dreams. But now that you are getting actual rest, your mind it trying to cope. Have you heard of PTSD?”

It sounds familiar the Dean. “The thing that soldiers get?”

“Yes. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And it’s not just soldiers. There is a psychiatrist in town who’s a friend of mine. He’s a real nice Beta. I think you should talk with him. He can help.”

Next she has him lay down so she can palpate his abdomen. Then she gives him a drape so he can maintain his modesty while she pulls up his gown to do an ultrasound. She takes gel out from a warmer so it would not be cold on his belly. “I know you’re not pregnant, but I want to make sure everything healed well.” Dean can’t make sense of the fuzzy grey image, but Missouri is happy with what she sees. 

“Alright, do you think you’ll be okay putting your feet in the stirrups?” 

His heart rate picks up when she pulls them out from under the table and gets them in position. Just chill out, you’ve done this before when dad took you to the Omega Clinic after you presented. They are just plain old stirrups. No straps or cuffs or chains to hold him down. 

“Yeah,” he says less confidently than he intends to.

“Just take your time, Sugar.” She helps him guide his feet into the correct spots and slide down to the edge of the table. She even guides him through a few deep breaths as he adjusts to the position.

Missouri talks to him the whole time. Explaining everything she does and how it should feel before she does it. She dons gloves so she can check his penis, testicles, and anus before moving on to the internal exam. The lube and speculum were also kept in the warmer so they would be more comfortable for him. He gets nervous, but she helps him to relax with soothing words and encouragement, telling him how well he’s doing. She looks first with the light, and takes a swab for testing before removing the speculum. Then she lubes up two fingers. “Thankfully, there is only a little bit of scarring,” she remarks, “You healed well. I’m going to check your prostate now. Sometimes it feels good, and that’s a normal biological response. But you let me know if anything feels painful.” 

With clinical precision she presses on the sensitive gland and Dean gasps as wave of tingling courses through his body. It was enough to make his cock twitch but thankfully only once. The next moment she is removing her fingers and and tossing her gloves in the bin.

“Have you produced any slick recently?”

Dean blushes as she helps him sit up. “Um, yeah. This morning.”

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of, Sugar. Did it have anything to do with tall, dark, and handsome whose waiting outside?” 

He blushes even more. “Yeah, when I woke up this morning, I could smell that he was… you know… aroused.” 

“Did he touch you?” she asks, narrowing her eyes. She’s like a momma bear, ready to defend her cub, in this case Dean, from harm.

“No! No.” He quickly defends Cas. 

“Just checking. I never would have let you stay with him if I did’t trust him. What happened?”

“He, uh, was in the shower, you know, taking care of it.” She nods her understanding. “When I recognized the scent I panicked, but I felt aroused too.” He’s afraid to ask, but he trusts this woman. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Sugar, ain’t nothin’ wrong with you. Like I said, it’s a normal biological response. Did you two talk about it?”

“Yeah, Cas said he just want’s to see me happy, even if we never get together, even if I decided to be with someone else.”

“Well, you don’t have to make up your mind just yet, but what do you feel in your heart?”

Dean thinks of his Alpha. He did it again. His Alpha. “He feels like home.”

“Alright then. Last thing is blood work. I want to make sure we aren’t missing anything, so I’ll send out a full Omega panel with the swab. I want to know where your cycle is at. Are you comfortable with me using a needle?”

“Yeah, I’m fine with that.” Yeah, he’s had a lot worse.

……………………….

After Missouri’s, Cas takes Dean to his favorite restaurant in town. A little barbecue joint run by Cesar and Jesse. They are early for the lunch rush, but a few of the tables are already occupied. Cas feels Dean tense up. 

“Is everything okay, Dean.” Cas asks quietly.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s just, a lot.” He sees Dean’s eyes dart around the room as he take a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. 

Damn it. Cas should have known better. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea taking Dean out in public so soon. “Dean, we don’t have to stay if you’re not comfortable.”

Right then Cesar catches sight of him and calls out, “Hola, Castiel!” The Beta comes out from behind the counter to greet them. “It has been too long my friend,” he says with a smile. 

Cas places his arm around Dean, and pulls him in so Dean can be a little closer and surrounded by his scent. “Hello, Cesar. I would like for you to meet Dean. Dean, this is Cesar. He and his mate Jesse own the place.”

“Hey, Castiel!” Jesse, an Alpha, calls out the window to the kitchen.

Cesar narrows his eyes at Dean for just a second, before smiling kindly. “It is nice to meet you, Dean. Any friend of Castiel’s is a friend of ours. Come! Sit anywhere you like.” He goes to grab some menus. 

Cas looks at Dean, and the boy gives him a nervous nod of permission. Cas leads them to a booth in the back, and slides Dean inside, before he sits down next to him. This way they can seen the whole restaurant and no one can come up behind them.

“Thanks, Cas,” Dean whispers. 

Cesar returns with the menus. “Did you get our order for more honey? I need to make up another batch of our sweet and tangy sauce.”

“Already? Stop by tomorrow morning before you open, I’ll have it ready for you.” 

“Cesar,” Jesse calls out again, “Did you ask him about the honey?”

“Did I ask him about the honey,” Cesar mumbles in mock annoyance. “Sí, mi corazón,” he calls back sweetly over his shoulder. 

“You two are already at it, I see,” Cas comments.

“Don’t get me started. He’s lucky he’s the love of my life.” 

The friendly banter seems to put Dean at ease. They order the pulled pork sandwiches, which are excellent as always. Dean finishes everything on his plate and even cons Cas out of a bite of his own sandwich. 

They are smiling and laughing when Cas gets a text on his phone from Donna. They are ready for Dean down at the station.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean meets Victor's team.

Donna is waiting for them as they enter the station, and leads them back into her office. She offers them refreshments. Cas fixes himself a cup of coffee. When he turns around, both Dean and Donna are enjoying the powdered donuts. White sugar coats Dean’s lips. Between bites Donna fills them in on how things are going to proceed.

“Victor has his team set up in the conference room. They are all fully briefed on your previous statement, so there is no need to repeat anything, but they are going to ask you a lot of questions to fill in the gaps about the men that kidnapped you and the Omega Shelter to build their case before moving on to the Alpha that bought you. If you need a break, just say so, okay? Everyone in that room is on your side. These are the good guys.”

………………………..

Dean stops at the open door to the conference room. He tries to follow Donna inside, but he just can’t seem to make his feet move forward. 

“Dean?” Cas’ deep voice startles him. He looks up into deep blue eyes. Cas places a reassuring hand on his shoulder, grounding him. “I’ve got you.”

Dean swallows thickly and nods. They enter the room, Cas keeping a hand on the small of his back. 

Introductions are made. Agent Victor Henriksen is an Alpha, dressed in a sharp, dark grey suit and tie. He’s intimidating, but Dean doesn’t feel any of it directed at him. Nor does he ever want to. Agent Benny Lafitte is a burly Beta with a southern drawl. Powerfully built, but charming with a relaxed demeanor. And then there are the red heads. Agent Anna Milton is another Alpha with long flowing red locks and a slender frame, and Charlie Bradbury. Wait, that can’t be right, she’s an Omega.

“Not ‘Agent’ Bradbury?” Cas questions as they shake hands, voicing Dean’s thoughts.

“Unfortunately, no.” Victor explains. “Current laws prohibit Omegas from working in law enforcement, even with their Alpha’s permission.”

“Which I totally give,” Anna chimes in.

“I know you would, babe,” Charlie smiles at her Alpha. 

“Then what is your title?” Cas asks.

“Officially, I’m a Technical Consultant,” she answers Cas, but then looks at Dean, “but I prefer Queen of Computers.” She gives him a wink.

Victor clears his throat. “Well, if you are all done your worshipfulness?”

“Sorry,” Charlie sits down in front of a laptop.

The rest of them join her around the large conference table. Cas slides his chair right next to Dean’s and gives him an encouraging smile. They start with Kubrick and Gordon, asking Dean for a more complete description of them and their van. Their conversation is being recorded again, and Charlie types furiously, verifying Dean’s statements against official, and unofficial, sources.

Charlie interrupts, “Dean, can you tell me if you recognize these men?” She turns the laptop showing him mugshots of the men who assaulted him, the men who kidnapped him, the men who killed his father and hurt Sammy. 

He takes in a shuddering breath, before biting his lip and nodding. Cas gives his hand a squeeze. Charlie turns the screen away, and Dean is thankful. She continues, “Apparently, Gordon Walker was arrested last year on charges for possession of illegal weapons. He was killed not long after during a prison riot. Kubrick was also picked up but got off on a technicality. His current whereabouts are still unknown.”

“Put an APB out on him and get a warrant to pick him up.” Victor instructs Anna, who excuses herself to make the call. “Dean, you’re doing great.” He drops the authoritative tone when speaking to him. “Do you need a break or do you think we can keep going?”

The man who murdered his father is dead. Dean doesn’t know how he is supposed to feel about that. Should he be relieved? Happy even? Or angry that his death wasn’t in punishment for the crimes he committed against Dean and his family? 

“Dean?”

Cas is speaking to him, carding his fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him out of his thoughts He takes in a deep breath and feels himself surrounded by the safety of his Alpha’s scent. He decides to ignore how he feels about Gordon’s death for now. He doesn’t want that man to take anymore from him. 

“I’m okay,” he whispers to Cas. He clears his throat and looks up at Victor. “I’m okay,” he says with more confidence. “Let’s keep going.” 

Cas passes him a water bottle and Dean gives a weak smile back before taking a sip.

They ask him about the Omega Shelter next. Unfortunately, there is no employee with the name Crowley in the system. Benny says it’s likely an alias. Charlie starts putting a profile together with everything Dean can remember about the man including any details he can remember about the facility. There are thousands employed through the Omega Shelter System, but Charlie is confident she can track this Crowley down.

Victor pushes on. “Dean, what can you tell us about the Alpha you were sold to? The Police Officer.”

“He said it was useless, trying to escape or get help. He had adoption papers endorsed by the Shelter, and who would believe an Omega over an Alpha Police Officer. He said if I was picked up, I would just be returned to him.”

“Can you tell us his name?”

Dean pauses. “If I tell you, will you send me back?” He’s shaking. Even he can smell the burnt sugar scent of his fear.

“No, Dean. No one’s going to send you back,” Victor promises.

“Dean, the paperwork Chuck drew up negates any prior claims on you due to the investigation,” Donna explains. “You get to stay with Cas as long as you want to. No one is taking you anywhere.”

“Okay,” he nods. He can do this. “His name is Officer Alistair Heyerdahl.”

Charlie immediately runs a search. “Found him. He’s employed at the White Earth Police Department. Is this him?” Charlie turns the computer screen back towards Dean. There he is, the monster that imprisoned and abused him for over three years, staring back at him. 

“Dean? Dean!” He thinks he can hear Cas’ voice, but it’s far away, and then there is nothing.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omega to Omega pep talk.

After Dean fainted, Cas carried him back into Donna’s office to lay him down on the couch. He hasn’t left his side since. The blinds are drawn and the only light is coming from a small desk lamp.

There is a light tap at the door. Charlie peeks her head in. “How is he?” She keeps her voice low.

Cas just shakes his head. Charlie enters, balancing 2 coffees in her hand, and pulls up a chair next to him. She hands one of the drinks over. 

“I’m sorry,” she say, breaking the silence.

“It’s not you fault.”

“Still.”

They sit there, watching Dean sleep, sipping their drinks.

“30 miles. White Earth is on the other side of the National Wildlife Preserve 30 miles from here. He walked 30 miles through the wilderness, naked, in chains, to get away from that monster.”

“Dean is going to be okay,” she reassures him.

“How do you know?” He desperately wants to believe her.

“Because I was like him.”

Cas just looks at the redhead.

“I was at a friend’s house for a sleep over party when I presented. I called my parents in the middle of the night to come get me. They were killed by a drunk driver. I was sent to a shelter that was also running an underground brothel. Anna found me strapped to a breeding bench when they raided the place 6 months later.”

Cas is horrified. Charlie would have only been 13 years old at that time.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Dean’s voice is a harsh with sleep. They both turn to see him, as he tries to sit up. “It wasn’t your fault, your parents deaths.” He says again. Cas helps him up the rest of the way and Charlie hands him a bottle of water.

“It was’t your fault either, what happened to your dad and brother,” Charlie says. “Or anything that happened after,” she adds. 

The Omegas share a look.

“Castiel, can you give us a moment?” she asks.

He’s about to protest but Dean assures him its okay. Cas gives him a kiss on the forehead before leaving them alone.

…………………….

The two Omegas just stare at each other until Charlie breaks the silence.

“You did really well today, Dean. I know it’s not easy.”

“I guess you do know,” he admits. 

“I also know that you don’t have to be afraid of losing Castiel.” He looks at her with surprise, but she continues. “I was afraid Anna wouldn’t want me, because of what happened. That I was too dirty, too unclean, nothing but a worthless set of holes to be used by others. A lot of fucked up shit was done to me, but it was always worse when they made me beg for it, like I wanted it. There were times I even got off on it. It only proved them right in my mind.”

“But you don’t feel that way now?” He desperately wants to believer her. That there is hope for him.

“Sometimes, when I’m having a bad day. But I know better now.”

“Missouri, the doctor, she thinks I have PTSD.”

“Join the club.” She takes another sip of her coffee. “She hook you up with a shrink yet?”

“She gave me a name.”

“Therapy really helped me, Dean. And so did letting Anna in.”

“How do you know Cas will be as accepting?”

“Have you seen the way blue-eyes looks at you?”

Dean blushes. 

“You know what also helps?” Dean looks up at the fiery redhead. “Putting all those fuckers away behind bars where they belong.”

…………………………

When the two Omegas walk back into the conference room, Cas can tell something has changed. Dean looks less afraid, more determined. “How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Better.” Dean turns to Victor. “Charlie said it would help if I told you some of the things he did to me.”

“It will. We don’t need to know everything, but we need to be able to describe the pattern of abuse.”

“Okay, I’m ready.”

The smaller group sits down. It’s just Victor, Charlie, and Donna with them. Anna and Benny have been working on obtaining various warrants and finding out Alistair’s current location. Dean takes a sip of water before he launches into telling the about the last three years of his life. It’s worse than anything Cas could have imagined.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean remembers what happened after Alistair buys him.  
> TW: Description of rape. If you want to skip this chapter you can.

Dean is kneeling in the room, wrists clipped together behind his back. He tries to hold still, tries to stop himself from thrusting his hips in need, but he’s still in the throws of the induced heat and the cock ring is preventing him from getting any release. More slick drips down his thighs.

An Alpha walks into the room. He’s tall and thin, with sinewy muscles and a gaunt face. His hair and beard are closely cropped. Pale, calculating eyes stare down at him. His scent makes Dean want to retch. It’s stale with a hint of decay, like old meat. The Alpha takes in a deep breath and his eye dilate as he scents Dean’s false heat. “I’m going to enjoy breaking you, boy.” His nasally voice makes Dean shudder. 

He grabs Dean by the hair and pulls his head back to force a ball gag into his mouth. Dean starts to hyperventilate with fear and the Alpha walks around him like a predator circling his prey. He struggles to suck in enough air through his nose. “Present,” the Alpha orders from behind. Dean is frozen with fear. “Present!” he shouts. Dean startles at the outburst and starts to bend over, but he must not do it fast enough because a hand between his shoulder blades slams him down to the floor. He feels a pressure at his entrance and he panics. This is it. He’s going to be raped. He tries to scream around the gag, as he feels his wet hole stretch around the penetration. It flares painfully before easing up a little. A butt plug. It’s only a butt plug.

Dean is painfully yanked to his feet by his wrists, and a leash is attached to the ring on the front of his collar. A black hood is placed over his head, plunging him into darkness. He feels a tug on the leash and struggles to keep up. Walking with the butt plug is uncomfortable. 

He can tell they walk through several doorways, before entering a larger space. The noises tend to echo. The concrete here is rougher and colder under his feet. His suspicion of an underground parking garage is confirmed when he hears the sound of a trunk opening before being ordered to get in. How the hell is he supposed to do that when he can’t see and his arms are tied behind his back? His hesitation is rewarded with a shove, and he falls into the vehicle, landing hard on his shoulder. His leash is secured to a ring or something bolted to the floor of the trunk. He lets out a squeak when a hand spanks his ass. He can feel the skin flare with heat. “Now, I want you all ready for me when we get home.” The hand slides over and pushes in on the butt plug causing it to spring to life and vibrate over his prostate. The trunk slams closed over him. Fuck!

They drive for what is probably a few hours, but might as well be an eternity. Dean is a writhing mess. His chin is soaked in drool that escaped from around the gag. Slick has leaked passed the plug and dribbles down his thighs. His cock is throbbing after being so long in the ring, he’s worried it’s going to fall off. He wants to chase his release but even the lightest touch ignites him with pain. He tries to hold still but every jolt from the road shifts his position. The car slows and he feels it turn onto what must be a dirt road. The bumpy ride has him moaning into the gag. 

Eventually, the car comes to a stop. The engine shuts off and he can hear what sounds like a garage door close. The trunk opens, the leash is untied and he is manhandled out of the car. His legs are shaky and he is unable to stand, so the Alpha just throws him over his shoulder. He grunts as his cock bangs into the man’s shoulder earning him another slap on his ass. He is carried down a flight of stairs and then he is being tossed through space. He screams with the fear of falling before landing roughly on a mattress. 

The Alpha’s hands are back on him. They turn off the vibrating butt plug and yank it from his hole. He feels an unsatisfied relief now that he is empty. The hands unclip his manacles and his arms fall to his sides, limp, muscles screaming in protest. Next the hood is removed and Dean blinks in the harsh lighting of the room. 

He’s on a large bed in a darkly painted basement with no windows. The walls are lined with what looks like every torture device ever invented. Floggers, whips, paddles, canes. Chains hang from the ceiling. There are various benches and racks placed throughout the room. There is a shower stall, toilet, and sink in one corner. The floor is tiled and slopes to a large drain in the middle of the floor. 

Before he can take in anything else the Alpha is crawling up the bed, advancing on him. Dean scrambles back until he hits the head board. The man grabs him by the hair and pulls him forward to unbuckle the ball gag. “Now, I want to hear you scream.”

He unzips his pants and pulls out his large straining cock. He grabs Dean by the hips and yanks him down onto his back. The Alpha sheaths his cock into Dean in one painful go. Despite the plug and the fucking machine before that, the Alpha is large. Dean screams as it feel like he is being split open. Without even giving him a moment to adjust, the Alpha pounds into him at a brutal pace. Everything is oversensitive, and pleasurable sensations have long since passed over into being painful ones. Every pass over his prostate has him writhing to get away. He can already feel the bruises forming around his hips where fingers dig into his flesh. The Alpha’s knot starts to form, catching on his rim with each thrust. In one practiced motion he swiftly removes the cock ring from Dean’s straining dick and slams into him at the same time. 

Dean cries out in agony as he finally comes, shooting all over his own chest, clamping down on the knot trapped inside him. He must have passed out for a moment, because the next thing he is aware of is the Alpha’s heavy weight pinning him down. The taller man thrusts his hips, moving the knot locked inside him against his abused prostate. He can feel warm spurts of come fill him up. He is tied together with his rapist, no chance of getting away. The Alpha licks his neck over his mating gland, and Dean has to swallow down the bile that tries to come up. 

“Don’t worry, bitch. I’m not going to bite you. Don’t want any pesky feelings getting in the way.” 

He thrusts again, harder this time and Dean moans at the hurt of it all.

“You like that. All you Omegas are sluts for a good cock.” He sits up and reaches down to grab Dean’s cock. He starts to stroke it back to life. “That’s it, get hard for your Master.”

Tears leak from his eyes as his penis betrays him. The Alpha jerks him faster and faster. He can feel the pressure start to build deep inside him. No, no, this is wrong! His balls tighten and he comes all over the Alpha's hand. He cries out and pants as he comes down from his second orgasm. The Alpha cries out and fills him with more spend as Dean’s orgasm milks his knot. 

The Alpha brings his come covered hand up to Dean’s lips. “Suck,” he orders. When he doesn’t do it, he is slapped with the back of the Alpha’s other hand. “Suck,” he orders again. Dean opens his mouth the take the fingers in, but the Alpha pulls them away. “I didn’t hear you say ‘Yes, Master.’”

Dean looks up into cold pale eyes. They leave no room for argument. “Y-yes, Master.” The fingers are brought closer to his mouth again and he lift’s up his head to suck them in. He can taste himself, cooling on the digits. As he sucks them clean, he starts to feel the knot inside him go down. The Alpha pulls out, and Dean can feel slick, come, and likely blood, dribble from his abused hole. He grabs a long chain from the floor and locks it onto Dean’s collar. It is attached to a support beam in the middle of the room. Without a word he heads up the stairs and turns off the light before locking the door behind him.

Dean doesn’t know how long he lays there. He doesn’t move, doesn’t cover himself, despite shivering with cold, or maybe it’s shock. It’s probably both. Eventually he falls into an exhausted sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dean finishes his statement (a less graphic retelling of the last chapter).

Dean remembers it all. Everything that Alistair did to him. He takes a breath to distance himself from the intensity of those memories. Then he begins to tell the group how Alistair drove him home from the Shelter and brutally raped him. Charlie immediately narrows her search for Crowley to within driving distance of White Earth. They never stopped for gas, so it couldn’t have been too far. 

He tells them about the dungeon in Alistair’s basement. It was impossible to tell how much time passed with no windows. Sometimes the light was left on for what felt like days. Sometimes Dean was kept in complete darkness for what felt like eons. The chain allowed him to reach the corner with the bathroom, so he could get water and relieve himself. The shower had only cold water. Food was scraps that were thrown on the floor. Often his hands were kept chained behind his back so he would have to kneel and eat off the floor like an animal. 

He tells them about the sadistic sexual abuse. How Alistair got off on hurting him, hearing him scream until he lost his voice, and then would knot him over and over. How every tool to inflict pain was used on him until he was beaten into unconsciousness. How sometimes Alistair would leave him on a rack for hours, maybe days, covered in the Alpha’s come. And through it all, how he made Dean call him Master, how the beatings didn’t stop unless he begged for his Master’s cock like the slut he really was, how he would work Dean up and force him to orgasm to milk his knot. Proof that he was just a bitch, a slut, a hole to be used.

Cas’ hand trembles in his own when Dean tells them about his pregnancy. He had hoped Alistair would go easier on him now that he was carrying his child. Instead he had kicked Dean repeatedly in the stomach until he miscarried. Then practically starved him to keep him from going into another heat.

Dean tried to escape after that, when he was finally healed enough from the beating to stand. He dug into the mattress with his fingers until they bled, and remove a coil of wire from one of the springs. He used it to pick the lock on his collar and then the lock on the door at the top of the stairs. He made it all of ten feet before the Alpha was on him, beating him into unconsciousness. He awoke strapped to the St. Andrew’s Cross screaming in pain as Alistair welded the collar permanently around his neck. The bed was removed, leaving Dean with just a blanket on the cold floor.

He never tried to escape again, that is until the opportunity practically forced itself on him. It was an accident, really. Alistair was drinking while beating Dean with the cane. Pouring the alcohol across his back whenever he deemed that Dean wasn’t screaming enough. Blood and booze puddled on the floor as it made its way to the drain. Alistair slipped on the slick tiles and crashed into the breeding bench Dean lay bound to. Bench, Omega, and Alpha all toppled over. Alistair’s head hit the hard tile with a crack, knocking him out cold. 

The bench had broken in the fall, and Dean was able to wiggle out of the leather straps holding him down. His wrists were still locked together and his ankles were chained to each other, but Alistair had removed the chain from his collar after he was bound to the bench (he didn’t like having to step over it). Dean almost didn’t run, afraid of what would happen to him if he was caught again. He doesn’t know how long he stood their until he took a tentative first step towards the stairs. 

Next thing he knew he was outside, blinded by daylight. It took precious minutes for his eyes to adjust. The house was a cabin in the middle of the woods. The dirt road at the end of the driveway promised civilization, but he was afraid they would just return him to Alistair. Decision made he headed deeper into the forest and ran until he ended up in Cas’ barn.

…………………………..

The room is silent after Dean finishes his statement. Victor’s hand shakes a little as he shuts off the recorder. “Thank you, Dean. I think we have everything we need.”

Charlie gives him a half smile and knowing look. He returns it with one of his own. 

Victor and Charlie excuse themselves to check in with Anna and Benny. Donna goes to order the group some dinner, giving Dean a pat on his shoulder as she leaves. Cas and Dean sit side by side, alone in the empty conference room. Neither speaking a word. 

They both begin to speak at the same time, awkwardly cutting each other off.

“Go ahead,” Cas acquiesces.

Dean keeps his eyes locked on the edge of the table. His anxiety is through the roof. “I… I understand if… if you don’t want me, anymore. Now that you know… know that I’m just a used up whore.”

“Dean, that’s not you…”

“But there were times when I begged,” Dean interrupts. “I begged for him to let me come. I wanted to feel something good instead of pain. I…”

“Dean, what was done to you by others does not define you. You were force to choose between the lesser of two evils. If you had been given a real choice, you would have been free to say no, to walk away, to leave.” Cas cups his cheek and turns his head so that Dean is looking up at him. Looking into those deep blue eyes. “When I look at you, I see someone who is strong. Someone who survived against all odds. Someone who is brave enough to share his story to save others. I see someone who is smart, and funny. Someone who I want to be with.”

Dean searches those blue eyes. He doesn’t see any deceit or pity. He sees… love. “Do you really mean it, Cas?”

“With all my heart.”

Dean catches himself looking at his Alpha’s lips. Slowly he leans forward, and looks up into those blue eyes again. Cas stays still, letting Dean come to him, letting Dean take the lead, just like he promised. Their lips brush in a chaste kiss. 

He didn’t know what he was expecting, but when nothing bad happens Dean lets out a sigh of relief. He fells a weight lift off of him as any lingering anxiety disappears. He kisses Cas again as his hands come up to rest on strong shoulders. He licks at his lips, seeking entry. Cas opens and lets him in, and then his Alpha is kissing him back. Cas slides his hand around to cradle the back of Dean’s head as their tongues caress each other. When they finally both come up for air, they are panting, foreheads pressed together.

“Was that okay?” Dean asks.

“Anything you want to do to me is okay.” Cas’ voice sounds like it dropped another octave. “Are you okay?”

Dean thinks. Is he okay? So, much has happened since he escaped and stumbled into that barn. Since he was taken. Hell, his whole life has never been easy. He bites his lower lip and he can still taste Cas lingering there. He takes in a deep breath, scenting his Alpha. He feels safe and secure in a way he never has before. “Yeah,” he finally says. “Yeah, I’m really okay.”

There is a knock on the door and they break apart to see Charlie smirking at them. Dean can feel the blush creep all the way to his ears. He looks over at Cas who has also turned a deep shade of red. 

“Dinner just arrived,” the redhead informs them. “I thought you might like a heads up before the others get back here.”

Cas clears his throat. “Uh, thank you, Charlie.”

“Any time,” she winks at them.


	17. Chapter 17

Containers of Chinese food are strewn about the table. The conversation is kept light. Cas is worried at first since Dean is quiet, but his scent is more even and relaxed then he thinks it has ever been. He’s not distracted or lost in thought, Dean seems content to just listen. But then Benny brings up the topic of music and Dean vehemently claims classic rock is the best, and Charlie accuses him of being an old man. However, she still plays some Led Zeppelin for Dean on her computer. Cas sits back, a smile on his face as he watches them debate their favorite artists. 

Suddenly, the music stops as Charlie’s computer chimes. “My program finished,” she announces, all levity gone. “There are 12 possible suspects working at Omega shelters within a days drive.”

“Dean,” Victor begins, “I know you’ve done a lot for us today, but if one of these men is Crowley, we can proceed with the raid. This could save a lot of lives. You up for this?”

“Yeah,” he answers without hesitation. 

Charlie turns the screen around. There are 12 employee ID photos up on the screen.

“Just take your time,” Victor instructs, “and if you don’t see him…”

“Number 5,” Dean cuts him off.

“You’re sure,” Victor asks.

“He looks younger in this photo, but it’s definitely him.”

Charlie turns the computer back towards her and clicks on the man Dean identified as Crowley. “His real name is Fergus MacLeod. This picture was taken 10 years ago when he was hired to be the director of the State Run Omega Shelter of Minneapolis, about 4 hours from here.”

“Alright, Charlie, get me everything we need for the raid. Anna, coordinate with SWAT. Benny, any word on Alistair?”

Benny looks up from his phone. “He failed to show up for his shift this evening. Station says he called out sick.”

“Damn it!” Victor paces while he thinks. “Donna, when did Judge Shurley file the temporary custody papers?”

“I dropped them off this morning. Chuck is a stickler when it comes to paperwork. He probably had it filed before lunch to make it official as soon as possible, to guarantee Dean’s legal protection.”

Victor frowns. “It was the right thing to do. If Heyerdahl somehow found Dean he would be able to claim him. It just means that Dean and Castiel are now in the system.” 

“Do we need to be worried?” Cas asks. He shares a concerned look with Dean and Donna. This was something they hadn’t considered. 

“Benny, I want you to stick with Castiel and Dean,” Victor orders.

“Sure thing, chief,” Benny responds in his relaxed southern drawl.

“Anna,” he goes on, “you’re taking lead on the Shelter. Pull any other resources you need. Go.”

“On it,” she replies as Victor packs up his stuff and checks his weapon.

“Vic, what are you planning?” Donna asks.

“I’m heading to White Earth.” He grabs his suit jacket and turns to Cas and Dean. “Look, I don’t want you two to worry. It’s unlikely that Alistair would come after Dean. If he’s smart, he ran as soon as Dean’s paperwork hit the system. Benny’s going to stick with you though, just in case.” He calls over his shoulder to Charlie as he heads out, “Your Highness, I need the address for Alistair’s cabin on my phone, now.”

“Done, but only because you asked so nicely,” she yells back. 

Anna has been on her phone coordinating the raid, but pauses to lean over and give Charlie a kiss. 

“Have fun storming the castle.” Charlie smiles at her as her Alpha backs out the door.

Anna places her hand over the receiver before she replies, “I love you.”

“I know,” the Omega answers.

Except for Charlie’s typing, the room is quiet after the flurry of activity. Castiel hopes he is not mirroring Dean’s deer caught in the headlights look. 

“Okay, what just happened?” Cas asks those left in the room.

Benny answers calmly, “We’re gonna catch the bad guys tonight.” 

“Doesn’t it, like, take a long time and a lot of evidence to do that?” Dean asks.

“Kid, you are a lot of evidence.”

Dean noticeably pales. 

Charlie places a comforting hand on his arm. “Dean, we don’t always get statements as detailed as yours. Most Omegas are too traumatized when we find them to be of much help. We have to move quick when a situation like this happens, or….” She doesn’t finish.

“Or what?” Dean prompts.

“It wouldn’t be the first time the bad guys cut their losses, and skipped town. If that happens, they usually destroyed the evidence.” Benny’s implications are not lost on Cas or Dean.

“Look, I don’t want you guys staying up at the farm until this whole thing is resolved,” Donna advises. “Is there anything you absolutely need from there?”

“I just need to feed and water Gabriel,” Cas explains.

“Whose Gabriel?” Benny and Charlie ask at the same time.

“He’s my goat.”

“Alright,” Benny says, “I’ll take you up to grab some clothes and take care of the goat. Dean, why don’t you stay here and keep Charlie company.” 

“I go where Cas goes.” It’s the most determined Dean has looked so far.

“Okay,” Benny caves, “but you follow my lead. Donna, stick with Charlie.”


	18. Chapter 18

Dean is nervous as they make their way up to the farm in Benny’s SUV. The fact that the sun has already set and it’s dark out doesn’t help. Benny has them wait in the car as he checks the perimeter. When he gives them the all clear they head into the house. All the doors and widows are still locked, and the place is empty. Benny escorts them upstairs so Cas can quickly pack a bag, and then the Beta heads back down to watch the entrance. Cas throws extra of everything in a bag since Dean doesn’t have his own clothes yet, and has just been wearing Cas’.

“Okay,” Cas declares as he zips up the bag. He sounds confident but his voice is still hushed. “Now we just feed Gabriel and we leave.” He shoulders the duffle as he ushers Dean out of the room and down the stairs.

…………………….

The single story cabin is dark as he pulls up in his SUV. There are no cars in the drive way. Victor checks his gun again and hooks up his comm unit. “Charlie, you there?”

“Loud and clear, boss. Visual is up and running.” It’s not the same as having actual back up, but Charlie’s presence in his ear piece is comforting. 

Weapon drawn and ready, he heads up to the house. The door is surprisingly unlocked. Alistair must have fled in a hurry. He lights his way inside with his flash light. His sweep of the first floor confirms it is empty. 

“Heading into the basement,” he whispers into his comm. He opens the door and makes his way down the stairs. The air is damp and dank. He sweeps the room with his light. Alistair is long gone. Damn it! Victor really wanted to catch the bastard. He finds the light switch and flips it on.

“Shit! Charlie, you seeing this?” He pans the room slowly. It’s more like a dungeon. Anything you could ever use to torture someone is in the room. 

“Yeah,” Charlie’s voice trembles over the comm.

Just like Dean said, there is a broken restraining bench on the floor next to a blood stain. There is a thread bare blanket in a corner of the room that would provide no padding against the hard tile floor. The bathroom consists of a toilet and sink. The shower doesn’t even have a curtain. It’s honestly some of the worst conditions Victor has ever seen, and he’s seen a lot. 

“Vic?”

“Yeah, Charlie?”

“You passed an office upstairs.”

Victor takes a last look around the room. How did Dean survive three years of this? “Yeah,” he clears his throat. “I’m on it.”

Back upstairs he heads over to the office and wakes up the computer to find it asking for a password. After locating a USB port he plugs in a remote device. “Ready, your Majesty.”

Charlie takes remote control of the computer. Within minutes she has gotten passed the password protection and is scanning through Alistair's files, emails, and search history. 

“Anything?” he asks.

“There is a threatening email from Crowley, dated this afternoon. Oh, god! Victor, he’s closing up shop and sent Alistair after Dean.” 

“Fuck, I’m on my way back. You got eyes on Dean?” He’s already out the front door and throwing his SUV into gear.

“Benny took him and Castiel to get a few items from the farm and feed their goat,” she replies.

“Get Benny on the line!”

“He’s not answering.”

“Shit!”

Donna’s voice cuts in across Charlie’s mic. “Victor, I’m on my way there now.”

Victor grits his teeth against the bumpy ride as he floors it down the dirt road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, I know. And I also break format to have a passage from Victor's POV, but it was needed!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: violence and attempted rape.

As soon as Dean opens the front door, hands yank him through the threshold and throw him off the front porch out into the driveway. He lands roughy, cutting his hands and knees on the gravel. The rotten scent hits him. Alistair!

He hears fighting behind him and turns around to see a nightmare come to life. Benny is lying in the dirt, a bloody gash on his forehead. Cas and Alistair are fighting on the porch. Alistair swings his night stick at Cas’ head, but Cas ducks underneath and tackles Alistair. The two Alphas roll, fighting for dominance. Cas takes a couple of hits to his face before he can toss Alistair off of him. 

“Dean! Run!” Cas yells at him as he gets back up. Alistair takes the moment of distraction to draw his gun and take aim.

“Cas!” Dean shouts, fearing it’s too late.

Alistair is already pulling the trigger, when a flash of tan and black crashes into him, knocking the gun from his hand. Both Alphas go down. Alistair by an angry Gabriel and Cas by a deadly bullet. 

“No!” Dean screams as he sees Cas fall back.

Gabriel screams at Alistair, but the Alpha lets out his own feral scream right back at him, scaring the goat into the house. When he sees that Cas is not getting up, he lets out a laugh and wipes his bloody nose on his sleeve. He rises to his feet and stares down the front steps at Dean. 

“You thought you could run from me, bitch?” Alistair snarls in his nasally voice. He takes a step down and Dean backs up. “You thought I hurt you before?” He takes another step and Dean backs up again. “I’m going to gut you alive, boy.”

Dean runs into the barn but Alistair is fast on his heels. He’s tackled just as he’s rounding the post. Alistair lands on top of him, knocking the wind out of him. He feels the Alpha rip his pants and boxers down to his ankles in one go.

“I’m gonna fuck that pretty little hole of yours one last time before I carve you up.” Alistair straddles him, one hand wrapped around Dean’s neck, squeezing, while the other unzips his pants and takes out his cock.

Dean can’t breathe. The edges of his vision are starting to go dark. He reaches around for anything that might help when his fingers find a little wooden handle. He grabs it and swings the cutting wire at Alistair’s face. It cuts him across one eye. The Alpha lets go and screams out in pain. He falls back, grabbing his face as blood streams between his fingers. 

Gun shots ring out and echo loudly in the barn. Alistair’s body jerks as each bullet hits its target. Donna empties her clip into Alistair. His body finally slumps to the ground, dead.

“Dean!” She rushes over to him as he coughs and tries to get air into his lungs. “Just breathe, just breathe. It’s over.”

“Cas,” he croaks out as soon as he can talk. Donna helps him pull up his pants and supports his weight as he points them towards the house. 

“Holy smokes, Castiel!” Donna blurts out when they get to the porch. She leaves Dean holding on to the railing and kneels next to Cas to check him. He’s not moving. The left shoulder of his jacket is soaked in blood.

“Is… is he…” Dean can’t say it. He just stands there, barely holding it together, as she feels for a pulse.

“He’s alive.” She declares. Dean’s knees buckle with relief, and he sinks down on the other side of Cas. Donna grabs her radio to call for an ambulance as she rips off her jacket and uses it to apply pressure to the wound. Cas groans. “Dean? Dean? Look at me.” She grips Dean’s arm tightly, breaking him out of his shock. “Cas is going to be okay. I need you to keep pressure on the wound while I go check Benny. Okay? Can you do that?”

He nods weakly and Donna replaces her blood soaked hands with his own. Cas winces again. “Hold it tight, I don’t care how much it hurts him, hold it tight.” She rushes back down the stairs to check Benny.

Cas’ eyes flutter open. “Dean?” His voice is rough and deep, but Dean has never heard a more beautiful sound. “Are you okay? Where’s Alistair?” He tries to get up and winces.

“Shhh, just lay still. He’s dead. It’s okay.” 

Cas sags with relief. Gabriel comes over and gently lips at Cas’ forehead, then nuzzles Dean. “Thank you for saving him,” he whispers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go Donna! She called it at the very beginning. I also realized when writing this chapter that I had Cas and Dean meet for the first time in a barn. And I love Benny, I just wish his character didn't come out so inept and weak in this story, but it's just how things flowed. There is no way he would have actually brought Cas and Dean back to the farm where they could potentially be but in harms way, especially when he could have kept them safe at the station until Victor called in with a update, but I needed together them there. In my mind Benny is a total BAMF.


	20. Chapter 20

Dean is vaguely aware of the sirens and flashing lights. Donna has to pry him away from Cas so the paramedics can get to him. She helps him into the ambulance so he can ride along.

Later, Victor finds him waiting in the hospital for Cas to get out of surgery. The bullet went clean through Cas’ shoulder, but there was a lot of bleeding. The doctors went in to repair the damage and give him a transfusion. Victor sits down next to him and hands him a cup of coffee. “I hear Castiel is going to be okay.”

Dean just nods and takes a sip of the warm drink. “How’s Benny?” His voice is sill harsh from nearly being choked to death.

“Concussion. But his CT scan came back clear. He’ll be fine.” Victor takes a sip of his own coffee. “Just got word from Anna.”

“How did the raid go?”

Victor sighs. “Crowley had already fled. Left the clean up to his lackeys. They were in the middle of destroying their records to protect the identity of their buyers. Thankfully we got there in time to save the Omegas. There were five of them being kept in the subbasement you described, beneath the regular Shelter. Thanks to you they were saved.”

“Do we need to worry about Crowley coming after us?”

“Oh, he’s not going to get far. I sicked Charlie on him. She’s already frozen his assets and his has him flagged with Interpol. She’s also working on recovering the data from the destroyed records. We’ll get the buyers too.”

Just then the doctor walks in to tell Dean that Cas is in recovery and he can see him now.

“Go on,” Victor tells him.

…………………………

Cas is laying in a hospital bed, eyes closed. His shoulder is wrapped in a bandage. His face is bruised. Dean walks up to the edge of the bed and takes Cas’ hand in his own. The Alpha’s knuckles are scraped and cut from the fight. 

“Dean?” comes the deep gravelly voice.

He looks up into deep blue eyes. Cas reaches up with his good arm to the bruises already forming on Dean’s neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” 

“He hurt you. I…” he swallows thickly, “some Alpha I am.”

He sees guilt weighing heavily on the Alpha. “No.” He says with confidence. “Somebody once told me a good Alpha is someone who treats you right… Cas you’re a good Alpha… Y-you’re my Alpha.” Cas’ blue eyes sparkle up at him.

“And you’re my Omega.” Cas tenderly wipes a tear from Dean’s cheek. “Why are you crying?”

“I thought I lost you.” Dean breaks down into sobs.

“Shhh, I’m okay. Come here. I’m okay.” Cas pulls him up onto the bed with his good arm and holds the Omega close so Dean can scent him. The smell of fresh rain, apples, and honey surrounds him. Cas continues to whisper reassurances in his ear while holding him tight with his good arm. 

A little while later a nurse walks in to find them asleep in each other’s arms. She grabs an extra blanket and drapes it over both of them.


	21. Chapter 21

Cas is released the next day around lunch and Donna takes them back to the farm. Victor made sure the crime scene was processed and cleaned up before they got home. Home. It’s only been a few days but this place already feels like home to Dean.

Gabe greets them as they step out of Donna’s cruiser. He apparently evaded capture by the crime scene investigators and had been out all night. Cas gingerly leans down to scratch him behind his ears. “I guess Cain was right. Thanks for saving my life, buddy.”

Gabe bleats a response and then runs off into the field, kicking out his legs and frolicking in the sunlight. 

Once they are settled, Donna heads back to the station. She’s got a lot of paperwork to fill out now.

…………………………

“I really can help,” Cas protests.

“Dude, you were shot in the shoulder less than 24 hours ago. Sit back down and let me take care of you.” Dean threatens him with a spatula before turning back to the stove. He flips the grilled cheese sandwiches, and then stirs the tomato and rice soup. 

The Alpha, properly chastised, returns to his seat and watches the Omega finish preparing their meal. He smiles. Dean has come a long way from the frightened boy he found in his barn just a few days ago. The food is perfect. Simple but comforting. 

Just as they are finishing up, the deep rumble of a car engine coming up the driveway stops Dean in his tracks. 

“Dean?” Cas questions, but the Omega heads straight for the front door and heads out onto the porch and stares.

Cas follows and sees a gleaming black 1967 Chevy Impala come to a stop. A gruff looking man in a beat up trucker’s hat gets out of the driver’s side, followed but a lanky teen with floppy brown hair from the passenger’s side.

“Sammy?”

“Dean!”

The two boys run to each other, and embrace in a fierce hug. They both are crying and clutching each other like they never want to let go.

The man walks over to Cas, taking his hat off to run his hand over his head before replacing it.

“You must be Bobby Singer,” Cas greets him.

“And you must be Castiel Novak.” Bobby takes in his appearance, no doubt noticing the bruises on his face and the bandaged shoulder peeking out from his loose t-shirt. “What the hell happened to you, boy?”

“It’s a long story. Would you like a drink?”

“Something tells me I'm probably gonna need it.” The Beta glances back at the boys. “You think they’ll be alright?”

“Yeah, I think Dean has everything he needs right now.”

………………………..

Cas and Bobby sit in the living room with a few beers and talk for a long time. He doesn’t tell the Beta everything Dean has been through, that is Dean’s story to tell, but Bobby’s not stupid. He knows the type of abuse Dean would have suffered. They keep looking out the window to check on the boys. Apparently they have moved to sit in the the Impala with the windows rolled down.

“Sam made me take the Impala. He said Dean would want to see his baby.”

“Dean spoke about her fondly to me. He said it was the only real home they ever had growing up.”

“Sam said the same,” Bobby agrees. The older man turns a keen eye towards Cas and seems to be sizing him up. “I am none to trilled about not being able to bring Dean home with us. You better treat that boy right.” Even though he’s a Beta, Bobby Singer is still an imposing man.

“I will, Sir. That’s my every intention. You and Sam are more than welcome to visit whenever you want. And I can bring Dean to visit Sam in Sioux Falls as well.” Cas nervously clears his throat before adding, “I do want you to know, I think Dean is my true mate.” The Beta widens his eyes. “Before you get upset, Dean has said he already feels the same way. And I promise you, Dean is going to have full control in our relationship, even if it never progresses to a physical one. I just want you to know I will never take advantage of him.” 

Before Bobby has a chance to answer, the boys enter the house, arms around each other’s shoulders.

“Dean, this is Bobby. Bobby, Dean,” Sam introduces them. 

“Nice to finally meet you, son.”

Dean steps forward to shake Bobby’s hand. “Thank you, Sir, for taking care of Sammy. I know you didn’t have to but it means the world to me.”

Bobby looks embarrassed by the heartfelt praise. “It was what any decent folk would do,” he tries to deflect.

“You must be Castiel,” Sam says, walking up to Cas. The young Beta gives him an appraising once over, similar to Bobby. “Dean says you helped save his life. Thank you.” He gives Cas a gentle hug around his waist, careful not to jostle his injured shoulder.

“Well, you two look like you need more rest,” Bobby states. “There’s a cheap motel near town that we can stay at and we can come back in the morning.”

“Nonsense,” Cas dismisses. “I just said you two could visit when ever you want. You’re staying here.” 

Bobby and Sam head out to get their duffle bags from the car. Dean comes over and gives him a hug, scenting Cas as he does.

“You okay, Dean?” he asks.

“I’m more than okay. Thank you, Cas, for everything.”

…………………………..

The next morning, the four of them sit down to a breakfast of pancakes. Dean insists on cooking again, because Cas is still injured.

“Dean, I didn’t know you could cook?” Cas says between mouthfuls of fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes with his homemade honey butter.

“Dean’s a great cook,” Sam pipes up. “He can turn anything into a yummy meal.” 

“You used to think a bowl of Lucky Charms was exotic,” Dean teases. 

He smiles to himself. Dean was so worried about seeing Sammy after everything that happened to him. But last night proved all of his fears were for naught. Sammy welcomed him with open arms and an open heart and the two fell back into old habits. 

He thinks back to their conversation they had in Baby. Dean had tried to hide his scars from Sammy but the young boy said they didn’t matter. He showed Dean the large scar down the center of his chest. The surgery to save his life after he was found in the gas station was extensive. No one even knew Dean was missing until he woke up a week later and raised a stink. A few days after that Bobby had come to visit him in the hospital and offered him a home. Apparently, Bobby’s wife, an Alpha named Karen, had passed away a few years back. She had always wanted kids, but they never got a chance before she died. Bobby told him that Karen would probably come back and haunt his ass if he didn’t offer to take Sam in. Sam said Bobby treated him right, helped him recover physically and mentally after losing Dad and Dean, gave him a stable home, got him into school. Bobby has a huge library at home full of old books that Sam loves to read. And when Sam presented as a Beta last year, Bobby was finally allowed to adopt him. Sam said that Dean would love the salvage yard full of old cars and things to tinker with.

“Hey Bobby,” Dean asks as they clear the dishes, “would you mind helping me with a project?”

“Dean,” Cas interrupts, “why don’t you just show Bobby while Sam and I feed Gabriel.” 

“Sure.” Dean leads Bobby into the carriage house. Bobby whistles when he sees the old truck. “Cas said he would like me to fix her up for him.” 

“It’s gonna take a lot of work, but I think I can help you out.” He adjusts his trucker’s hat and gets a little misty eyed when he looks at Dean. “You know, your Daddy said you were real good with cars. When I offered him the job at the salvage yard, he asked me if it would be okay if you helped out. He wanted to make sure I was okay with having an Omega in the shop. Told him it don’t matter to me as long as you knew your way around an engine. He then told me about all the work you did on the Impala with him.” He fishes into his pocket and takes out the keys to Baby. “He would have wanted you to have her.”

Dean stares at the keys, still on his dad’s key ring. He reaches out a shaking hand to take them. He smiles at the familiar feel of them in his hand. “Thanks, Bobby.” He wipes a tear from his cheek.

Bobby places a hand on his shoulder. “I know we only met yesterday, but the way Sam talked about you all these years, never giving up on you…. I feel like I adopted two boys, not one. I just want you to know you always have a home with me, Omega Protection Laws be damned. If you ever need anything, you call me.” He clears his throat. “This Castiel treating you right?”

“Yeah, Cas is a good man, a good Alpha,” Dean answers with an affectionate smile.

“Good. Just making sure.”

……………………….

Bobby and Sam stay through the weekend. It rains one of the days, so Sam and Dean end up watching a whole season of Supernatural together, camped out on the couch with snacks and blankets. Sam is in awe that Carver Edlund is really Cas’ father, and asks a million questions about the reclusive writer. Bobby is full of endless stories, and while he and Cas have come from very different backgrounds, they find they have many common interests and start to form a friendship. When it finally comes time for them to head back to Sioux Falls, in a rental car, they already have plans to meet up again. Sam is also going to come for an extended visit as soon as school lets out. 

The farmhouse is quiet again after they leave. Cas can’t help but notice Dean is also quiet as they are getting ready for bed. As soon as he turns off the lights and gets under the covers, Dean immediately clings to him again and scents him deeply. 

“You okay?” he asks.

Dean is quiet for a while before he answers. “Yeah, I think so.” His voice sounds sad though. Cas decides not to press the matter and just give Dean some time. “I don’t know,” the Omega admits and lets out a frustrated sigh. “It’s just that all these good things have happened in the last week and it doesn’t feel real. I escaped, Alistair’s dead, an Omega trafficking ring was shut down, Sammy’s alive and he’s got Bobby, and I have you. It doesn’t feel like I deserve any of it.”

“Why do you feel you are not deserving of good things?”

“It’s just not the way my life has ever played out before.”

“Dean, you’ve been through a lot, more than most. If anyone is due some good things in life, it’s you.” He hugs Dean a little tighter with his good arm and places a kiss on the top of his head. He breathes in the warm vanilla and cinnamon scent of his Omega. “So, I’m on your list of good things, huh?”

Cas can feel Dean roll his eyes at him in the darkened room. “Seriously, though. Do you want to talk to someone that can help you?”

“Missouri gave me the name of a therapist, she thinks I should talk with him. So does Charlie.”

“What do you think?”

He sighs. “I don’t like the idea but I think you all are probably right.”

"We can call in the morning to make an appointment. And then we can head into town to get you your driver’s license so you can drive Baby for real, not just around the farm.”

“Really?!” Cas can hear the excitement in his voice.

“Of course,” he replies.

“See, there you go, adding to my list of good things,” Dean playfully teases.

“I hope to do that everyday for the rest of our lives.” He plants another kiss on the top of Dean’s head.

“Thank you, Cas.” Dean hugs him a little tighter before falling into a peaceful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far. This became the natural end to the main story, but I plan on posting a time stamp. Unfortunately it is fucking late and I really need to go to bed.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TIME STAMP!  
> And finally some smut.  
> Hope you all enjoyed it. Please leave me comments! I'd love to hear from you.

“Good morning, Dean!” Garth is way too chipper for 9 am. Dean forces a smile and sits down on the couch in the office. He’s been coming to the Beta for therapy for several months, and while he hates to admit it, it has actually helped a lot. “How did you sleep last night?”

“Not so great, I had another night mare.”

“Was it the one about the upcoming trial?”

Dean nods. Fergus MacLeod, a.k.a. Crowley, was captured after being on the run for 2 weeks. Charlie tracked him to Scotland where he was apprehended and extradited into US custody. Crowley’s defense team of sleazy lawyers has a habit of defending knot-head Alphas. Their tactics often include witness intimidation to try and scare Omegas into not testifying. Even though the prosecution doesn’t plan on calling Dean as a witness, he has already received threatening letters and images anonymously through the mail. Donna now screens everything down at the station before having it delivered to them at the farm.

Unfortunately, it started off a new set of nightmares. Ones where he is forced to testify, Crowley is found innocent, and Dean is taken from Cas only to be given back to Alistair. He usually wakes up as they are dragging him away from Cas, but if he doesn’t, Alistair throws him into an open grave filled with the decaying bodies of the other Omegas he abused and buries him alive. Just like the actual mass grave that was found not too far from Alistair’s cabin, hidden in the National Wildlife Preserve. Last night, Cas woke up to Dean thrashing against the bed sheets, fighting to breath as shovels of dirt were thrown on his face.

They talk about it for a while and Garth leads him through some breathing exercises. After that he asks Dean about his relationship with Cas. 

Dean blushes. Things with Cas have been great. His Alpha treats him with respect and care and is always encouraging him. Dean finished up the restoration of the 1950 Chevy 3100 with guidance from Bobby. It looks amazing. Dean even drove it in the town’s Labor Day Parade with Sammy and Gabriel sitting in the back, waving at the crowd. Soon Dean was getting offers to fix up other classic cars. Cas helped him convert the last 2 bays of the carriage house into a garage where he now does restoration work.

The one thing that hasn’t happened yet is any progress in his physical relationship with Cas. True to his word, Cas has never pressured Dean, and has been an absolute gentleman. Dean’s hangups with sex are something he gotten better at talking about with Garth and with Missouri. But now a new problem has come up.

“So, Missouri says my tests show that I’m going to go into heat soon.” Dean can feel his blush spread into his ears. “She doesn’t want to put me on suppressants. Says it’s too risky given the miscarriage followed by the malnutrition.” 

“Have you talked to Cas about your up coming heat?” Garth asks.

“Only a little. He said he would support me in however I choose to handle it.”

“And how do you want to handle it?”

How does he? More than anything he wants to be with Cas, but he’s worried that he’s going to freak out, have a flashback or something, and ruin everything.

“Do you ever think of being with Cas sexually?” Garth prompts.

Dean nods again. “But what if I’m not ready? What if Cas realizes I’ll never be ready? What if I lose him?” He blurts out.

“Dean, has Cas ever pressured you into anything? Has he ever given you demands or ultimatums?”

Dean twiddles his thumbs. “No,” he admits sheepishly.

“Why do you think he would suddenly start that now?”

“I don’t know,” Dean throws his hands up in defeat. “I just feel like I’m failing him. That I’m broken and he deserves better.”

“Dean we’ve talked about this before,” Garth reminds him.

“I know, I know. I’m not broken.” 

“So why do you think Cas deserves better?”

“Because I want him to be happy. Because I lo-… I… I love him.” Dean is shocked by his own revelation. He loves Cas. He has from the beginning. He was just too afraid to admit it. “I’ve… I’ve got to go. I’ve got to talk to Cas.” 

Garth smiles and call after him as the heads out the door, “See you next week, Dean!” 

………………………..

Cas hears Baby’s engine pull into the drive and checks his watch. Dean is back early from his appointment with Garth. He hopes everything is okay. Last night was rough. He puts down the frame he’s working on and wipes the sawdust from his hands, but before he can get any farther, Dean strides into the barn, walks right up to him, grabs him on either side of his face and pulls him into a deep and searing kiss. 

When they finally break apart he starts to ask Dean if everything is alright, but Dean cuts him off with another kiss on the lips to silence him.

“Cas,” Dean bites his bottom lip, and looks up at him, green eyes searching his own. “I love you.”

Cas has never been more happy to hear those words. He pulls Dean into a bone crushing hug. “I love you too.” He breathes in the warm scent of vanilla and cinnamon. Of his happy Omega. He can tell Dean is scenting him too, before pulling back.

“I love you and I want to be with you.”

“You want what?” Cas is shocked. He resigned himself a while ago to the fact that Dean may never be ready for a physical relationship. But he would never want to be with anyone else. He would take Dean in any way he could have him. And even without a physical relationship, Cas has loved every day that Dean has been in his life.

“I want you to make love to me and mate me.”

He was not expecting that. It must have been some therapy session. “Dean, are you sure?”

“I’ve loved you from the beginning, but I was afraid to admit it. I was afraid that being with you would remind me of all the abuse. But I realized that you could never remind me of him. That you love me and care for me.” Dean is kissing him again, hands roaming over his chest, unbuttoning Cas’ flannel. He can smell Dean’s sweet arousal.

“Right here? Right now?”

Dean thrusts his pelvis against Cas, and he can feel his hard member rub up against his own stiffening cock. “Right here. Right now.” 

Cas moans as Dean captures his lips again and walks him back into one of the freshly cleaned stalls. Cas grabs the thick blanket hanging on the divider between the stalls and throws it down on the thick pile of straw. Next thing he knows they are kicking off their boots and socks, pulling each other’s jeans down, and stripping off the rest of their shirts. 

Cas lays Dean down onto the blanket and takes in the appearance of his Omega. Kiss swollen lips, pupils blown wide. “You are so beautiful.” He kisses Dean again on the lips, and trails down his jaw and neck. He continues his journey down and laves sensually at a nipple until it hardens, before moving on to the other one. He follows Dean’s trail down to his erect cock and laps at the bead of pre-come before swallowing Dean down to the root. 

Dean moans and trusts his hip up, pushing deeper into Cas’ throat. Cas hums with pleasure at seeing Dean come undone. Dean arches his back and winds his fingers into Cas’ unruly hair. “Please, Cas. I need you.”

He pulls off of Deans straining cock with a pop. “I’ve got you, my love.” He licks at Deans wet hole. Dean cries out at the feeling, as Cas delves his tongue into the ring of muscle. Dean tastes amazing, better than he smells. Soon he has the Omega panting and writhing beneath him. 

Cas uses some of Dean’s slick to lube up his member and lines up the head of his cock with Dean’s passage. “Are you ready, my love?”

“Yes,” comes Dean’s breathy reply. 

Cas kisses him deeply as he pushes in. He slides with a slow glide until he is fully seated. He takes a moment to keep from coming as Dean’s wet heat puts pressure on him in all the right places. Dean nods his head and wiggles his hips, indicating he wants Cas to move. Cas starts up a steady rhythm, and quickly finds the perfect angle for hitting Dean’s prostate. Dean cries out with each thrust. Soon he feels his knot starting to catch on Dean’s rim.

“Please, Cas, make me yours. Mate me.”

“As you wish, my love.”

Dean comes and clamps down around Cas’ knot, crying out as it perfectly fills him and hits his prostate. As his seed spills into Dean, he bites down on his mating gland. As their bond completes, they both come again in ecstasy. 

After catching his breath, Cas rolls them over so Dean is laying on top of him. He cards his fingers through the sweaty hair at the nape of Dean’s neck with one hand while gently rubbing up and down his back with the other. 

“Are you okay?” Cas asks.

“That was amazing,” Dean sighs into him, scenting him. “You’re amazing.”

“I think you’re amazing too.”

Dean turns his head so he can kiss Cas on the lips. The movement tugs on Cas’ knot, and they are both coming again. They cry out in unison as they orgasm. 

An answering cry comes from the next stall as Gabriel bleats at them.

It starts with a giggle and then the two of them are full on laughing to the point where both are wiping tears from their eyes.

“I love you, Dean.”

“I know.”


End file.
